Ensure us food, shelter on Char Dham duty, doctors to govt

Government doctors in the state are unhappy with the lack of basic facilities during their deployment for the Char Dham yatra

dehradun Updated: Mar 25, 2018 22:28 IST
Doctors have alleged that the government makes no arrangement for food and shelter for them on Char Dham duty.
Doctors have alleged that the government makes no arrangement for food and shelter for them on Char Dham duty.(HT File)

Government doctors in the state are unhappy with the lack of basic facilities during their deployment for the Char Dham yatra.

Doctors have alleged that the government makes no arrangement for food and shelter for those who are asked to render services during the pilgrimage.

Irked over this and other pending demands, government doctors across the state have now decided to go on a three-day strike from April 10.

The Uttarakhand Medical Services Association, an umbrella body of government doctors in the state, has decided to suspend all activities except emergency and post-mortem.

The association has said even doctors in administrative posts will also participate in the strike.

“The state government has become totally non responsive to the problems faced by doctors. The chief minister and health secretary has no time to listen to us. We have made several representations and requested time from CM, but to no avail,” said Dr DP Joshi, president of the association.

He added that besides denying basic facilities during the Char Dham yatra, the government has failed to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

Raising objections to the new Transfer Act in the state, Anand Shukla, vice-president of the association, said the ruling dispensation is trying to “fill 85% posts with 15% strength”.

“The government has exempted IAS and PCS officers from the Transfer Act. We too want this exemption. Instead of focusing in recruiting more doctors, the government is trying to shuffle the existing doctors across the state. Only 15% posts are presently filled in the state. With this, the government is trying to fill 85% posts,” he said.

Besides this, the doctors are also demanding assured time-bound promotion, separation of selection process for PG seats for permanent and contractual doctors, among others.

“If the government fails to accept our demands within three days, we will also suspend emergency and post-mortem services from April13,” said Dr Joshi.