Times of India: Bhopal: Monday,
10 August 2020.
As the
number of Covid cases started rising in Haryana, chief minister Manohar Lal
Khattar had on April 10 announced doubling of basic salaries of all healthcare
officials and workers managing the Covid-19 outbreak in the state.
However,
an RTI query by activist Aseem Takyar revealed that even after four months,
none of the health workers have received double pay.
The RTI,
which was filed on July 8, also revealed that salaries have not been arriving on
time. Doctors said that the decision to double the pay was later altered to
only days on which a health worker was assigned duty in a Covid ward.
While
the wait for an increase in pay continues, doctors have also pointed out that
this discriminates against health workers handling Covid cases as the order is
not applicable to those working in the field, in charge of uploading data and
conducting tests in labs, etc.
Raising
their concerns, members of Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA)
wrote to the CM on April 16 stating that as the benefit is applicable for a
period and for some workers, it will demoralise others and they will choose not
to take it.
A member
of HCMSA said that all their doctors posted at the civil hospitals, urban
health centres, rural primary health centres, poly clinics and other
dispensaries of the health department are carrying out their duties and are
involved directly or indirectly in various activities such as screening,
sampling, testing, active field surveillance, treatment at quarantine
facilities, treatment of the migrant labourers, OPD and emergency services to
control the pandemic.
“Doctors
working in ICU and Covid wards wear PPE kits, whereas health workers working on
the field are not even being given that. Does that mean they are not at risk?
Why the discrimination?” he added.
The
letter also highlighted that the doctors never demanded double salaries. Dr MP
Singh, vice-president of HCMS, said, “Our duty is to save lives. We don’t want
the double salaries but we demand protective gears for all. We had requested
for sufficient medicines, safety gears and ventilators and the government
should at least ensure that.” A doctor on condition of anonymity added, “Forget
double pay, we are not even receiving our salaries on time for the past four
months.”
Meanwhile,
Rajeev Arora, additional chief secretary, health, said, “A list has been
prepared for April, May and June and the payment will start shortly.” He added
that for April, 2,020 health workers will be given the benefit. Similarly,
2,296 and 2,878 workers will get extra pay for May and June, respectively.
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