Srinagar, May 9: The families of healthcare workers working under National Health Mission (NHM) posted in various hospitals across J&K are having to starve as their meager salaries remain unpaid for the third straight month.
A group of employees said their wages have not been paid since March because of which they are undergoing mental trauma.
“Imagine no wages for 3 months in this pandemic. Our families are suffering. Our households are running short of even groceries”, they said.
“Alongwith arrangements for ongoing Ramzan, the lockdown has resulted in escalation of spendings as we have to arrange private conveyance to and fro hospitals. On top of that we have to beg for our legitimate wages which is a shame”, the employees said, adding that bureaucratic hassles have turned their lives into hell.
The employees said they are facing extreme stress on both workplace and household front. “How are we supposed to manage arrangements for upcoming Eid when we are already indebted and haven’t got a penny in our pockets?”.
They accused the government of utter insensitivity and callousness. “We appeal the Lt Governor to pay heed to our concerns. Is this the reward for our fight against Covid-19?”, they asked.
They said their counterparts are paid hansome wages on timely basis and were even allocated Covid incentives recently “but for unknown reasons the administration is indifferent to our concerns”.
Do they want us to hit streets in this pandemic, asked the employees.
“We may be forced to hold protests on Eid day if our wages were not released within two days”, they added.
