Yanam to be under total lockdown on Sundays: Health Minister

Puducherry, Aug 17 (PTI): Health Minister of Puducherry Malladi Krishna Rao on Monday said Yanam region, an enclave of the Union Territory in Andhra Pradesh would be fully locked down every Sunday as is the case in the neighbouring state.

Health Minister of Puducherry Malladi Krishna Rao on Monday said Yanam region, an enclave of the Union Territory in Andhra Pradesh would be fully locked down every Sunday as is the case in the neighbouring state. He said the number of pandemic stricken cases was on the increase in Yanam, his constituency.

He said that while Puducherry, Karaikal and Mahe would have total lockdown on Tuesdays, Yanam region would have it on Sundays. The Minister said Yanam was witnessing what he called as a piquant situation as doctors engaged on contract in the general hospital there have been quitting as their salary was lesser than what their counterparts in neighbouring states were getting.

He said each of the doctors on contract was paid Rs 40,000while it was Rs 65,000 for those in neighbouring states. At least Rs 55,000 may be sanctioned to the contract doctors in the Union Territory, he said.

Specialist doctors were not available in Yanam and doctors in Puducherry were paid Rs 70,000. He said he had taken up the issue with the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy.