Amritsar: Outpatient Department (OPD) services at government hospitals across Punjab have been impacted as employees observe a statewide strike over their long-pending demands, said Narendra Singh, President of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Government Medical College, Amritsar, and District President of the Co-ordination Committee of Para-Medical and Health Employees, Punjab.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said government employees have been protesting against the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government for the past four and a half years over their long-pending demands.
He said the demands include regularisation of all contractual employees, implementation of pension benefits for employees appointed under various categories, payment of pending instalments of Dearness Allowance (DA), and regularisation of Anganwadi workers, Anganwadi helpers, mid-day meal workers and other employees.
Singh alleged that the government has repeatedly given employees meeting dates, but Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has not held a meeting with them, and the meetings have been postponed repeatedly.
He said that on August 7, more than three lakh employees participated in a rally in Chandigarh. On August 27, government employees across Punjab are observing a complete strike and holding protests at block, district and headquarters levels.
He said that government departments, including dispensaries, offices, schools, hospitals, electricity departments, animal husbandry and agriculture departments, are participating in the statewide protest.
"If the government does not pay attention to the demands of employees, they will boycott the government in the upcoming Assembly elections and work to defeat it. The same employees had earlier helped bring this government to power," Singh said.
He said that Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar is also observing the strike, with OPD services and general operation theatres closed, while emergency services remain operational. He added that the public had been informed in advance to visit the hospital only in case of an emergency.
Singh said that more than 250 organisations and federations are supporting the employees' protest and claimed that anger among government employees is increasing day by day.
He further alleged that the government has not released even a single pending DA instalment during the past four and a half years despite rising inflation.
"DA is the rightful entitlement of government employees. Employees will never accept any attempt to compromise on their DA," Singh said.
