Plea in HC for timely salary payment to nurses in North MCD dispensaries, maternity homes

The plea by the Hospital Employees Union, a registered trade union, has claimed that despite the nurses working on frontline ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, they have not been paid their salaries on time. During the brief hearing via video conferencing, the bench several matters have been filed in the high court alleging non-payment of salaries of various categories of MCD employees.

The Delhi High Court Thursday sought the response of the AAP government and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) on a plea seeking timely payment of salaries to nurses in working in the dispensaries, maternity homes, and child welfare centers run by the civic body. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Delhi government and NrDMC and sought their stand on the petition which has alleged "irregularity in timely payment of salary to auxiliary nurse midwives, lady health visitors and public health nurses" employed by the corporation.

The petition has claimed that the auxiliary nurse midwives, lady health visitors, and public health nurses have not received their salaries from May onwards. The plea by the Hospital Employees Union, a registered trade union, has claimed that despite the nurses working on the frontline ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, they have not been paid their salaries on time.

During the brief hearing via video conferencing, the bench several matters have been filed in the high court alleging non-payment of salaries of various categories of MCD employees. The court observed that in each matter various reasons, like lack of funds and non-release of money by the Delhi government, have been given by the corporation(s) for non-payment of the salaries.

Delhi government additional standing counsel Satyakam, during the hearing, said the alleged lack of funds with the MCDs was an issue which was being raised for several years now and added that the AAP government was ready to take over all the educational and health institutions run by the corporations. The trade union has contended in its petition that many of the nurses, who have been working tirelessly without any holidays, and their family members have been infected with COVID-19 and they have been facing difficulties in arranging funds for treatment.

The plea has sought directions to the respondents -- the corporation and the Delhi government -- to pay the salaries for May to August of the auxiliary nurse midwives, lady health visitors, and public health nurses. It has also sought directions to them to ensure that the salaries are paid on time in the future.