SAMBALPUR: Protest by contractual workers of the Covid hospital here over pay structure delayed shifting of bodies of three patients, who succumbed to the virus on Wednesday, to the crematorium by over 12 hours. Sources said the workers, who were paid Rs 3,500 for carrying each body to the crematorium, were recently informed that they will be paid a fixed salary of Rs 7,000 per month to which they disagreed.
As the workers did not get a favourable response from their agency, they resorted to protest on Wednesday. One of them, Manoj Kalet said, “We were getting Rs 3,500 for carrying each body. The amount was distributed among eight of us. But now the agency has fixed a monthly allowance. We are always at risk of getting infected as we shift the dead bodies of Covid patients to the crematorium. We are also having a hard time due to the crisis and deserve a better pay. We were forced to resort to protest because of the decision of the authorities to change the payment system.”
On the other hand, the family members of the patients, who died at the hospital, had a harrowing time as the bodies of their kin could not be shifted for cremation. “My father, who was 60 years old, died at the Covid hospital at around 4 pm on Wednesday but the body has not been released yet as there is nobody to carry it.” said a 30-year-old youth from Baripada.
The impasse was resolved at around 2.30 pm on Thursday after officials of the district administration had a discussion with the contractual workers. “The matter has been resolved and the bodies sent for cremation,” said PD, DRDA, Sukanta Tripathy.