The MCD teachers’ union has said they will not assist the civic bodies with the Covid-19 inoculation drive due to inordinate salary delays. (File photo) The MCD teachers’ union has said they will not assist the civic bodies with the Covid-19 inoculation drive due to inordinate salary delays. Ram Niwas Solanki, general secretary of the Municipal Corporation Teachers’ Association, said, “We do not even have money to reach the vaccination sites.”
Kuldeep Khatri, president of the Shikshak Nyay Manch Nagar Nigam, said teachers are struggling to even put food on their tables. “We were last paid in July 2020,” he said.
North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash said, “The Delhi government should open its eyes at least now and pay MCDs their dues”. AAP MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak hit back, saying MCDs are unable to pay staff due to corruption.
While there is no official announcement declaring teachers to be part of the drive, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had earlier suggested drawing help from the group. He had also said teachers in schools run by the Delhi government and the MCDs — who have been actively involved in Covid-19 duty — will be included in the list of front line workers to be vaccinated.
Around 158 places have been earmarked as Covid-19 vaccination centres — 58 health units by South MCD, 32 by East MCD and 68 by North MCD.
East MCD Mayor Nirmal Jain said about 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated in a day at each centre. “The exercise will be carried in three steps, i.e, examination, vaccination, and observation for 30 minutes by our doctors and paramedical staff. If a person has any reaction to the vaccine, it will be managed at the centre. If a person’s condition becomes serious, a CATS ambulance will take them to the nearest hospital,” he said.
South body mayor Anamika Mithilesh said the proposed vaccine centres are being evaluated by the state government before they are finalised.
Prakash said big hospitals under the North MCD, including Kasturba and Hindu Rao hospitals, have been identified as vaccination centres along with smaller health centres, polyclinics and dispensaries.