Srinagar, Dec 8: The contractual paramedical employees of GB Pant Hospital, the lone childcare health institution of the Valley, here have not received their salaries for past seven months.  
 The contractual employees engaged on “academic arrangements” in January and July this year under SRO 384 are facing lot of inconvenience due to what they call “lackadaisical approach” of the higher ups. “Despite sending several applications and reminders to higher ups, we are yet receive our dues,” staff members told Greater Kashmir.
 Staff members hailing from far-flung areas, including Islamabad (Anantnag), Kupwara, Baramulla and Jammu, are the ‘worst hit’.
 “It is becoming very difficult for us to make our ends meet. We have to pay Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 as rent and we are paying it from the borrowed money,” said a group of pharmacists putting up at Indira Nagar. 
 They said the staff had sent several reminders to the Medical Superintendent “but all in vain”.
 “We were appointed through Medical Education Department in the hospital but we have been left in lurch while our colleagues in other hospitals are drawing their salaries every month,” they said. 
 They said the pretext of classification under which the hospital get funds, in plan and non-plan category, always lingered their case.  “But the confusion has already been clarified by the Government Medical College through an official letter sent to the Medical Superintendent GB Pant Hospital recently. “It’s to inform you that there is no mention in the SRO 384 that the salary of staff appointed under the SRO be paid under plan funds. Therefore you are authorized to draw the salary of engaged staff against available vacancies whether in plan or non-plan,” the letter reads.
 However the aggrieved staff members alleged the Medical Superintendent delayed their case unnecessarily. “He (superintendent) says the hospital doesn’t have enough budget,” they said.
 “We appeal the Medical Education Department to either transfer us to those hospitals where we will be paid our dues monthly or release our pending salaries immediately,” they said.
 When contacted, the Principal and Dean Government Medical College Prof Qazi Masood expressed ignorance about the issue. “I’m listening about the issue from you. If it is really happening in the hospital it’s gruesome, I will definitely seek explanation from the concerned Medical Superintendent,” he said.
 Despite repeated attempts the Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital, Dr Kaiser didn’t pick up the phone.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 9 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST