NEW DELHI: Around 600 nurses, ANMs and Data Entry Operators who were removed from their jobs by the Delhi government continued to sit on a protest while there was no update on their reinstatement from the government.
The group of protesting nurses have said that they will continue with the dharna 24*7 in front of the Delhi Secretariat from Monday. At Least 30 employees will also continue the protest overnight as well.
Around 600 nurses, ANMs and Data Entry Operators have been demanding the reinstatement of their jobs, which as per a recent government order have been discontinued with effect from March 31, even as the vaccination drive is going on for the 12-14 age-group.
According to Parul Malik, a nurse posted in the South Delhi district, there has been no response from any official of the Delhi government despite them trying to meet the officials since the beginning of their protest. “Some of our district immunization officers have got verbal intimation from Delhi government officials that our jobs will be reinstated till June but no written communication has reached us,” said Parul.
Meanwhile, this newspaper contacted the health department officials, there was no response on the same.
On Monday morning, employees including pregnant women participated in the protest and sat outside gate number 6 of the Secretariat building while the temperatures soared and heat waves continued. Earlier in the day the police officials did not even allow us to stand under the shade but later when women started falling sick, the officials asked us to come inside the shade.
“The government doesn’t respect the efforts we put in during the Covid-19 pandemic. Just look back 1 year ago and remember what the condition was. We are corona warriors and this is how we are being treated,” said Kajal Sharma. Over 800 nurses were hired on a contract basis last year when the vaccination camps were newly set up in the districts where they were deputed to various vaccination centres across the city.