Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Feb 24: The members of the local unit of Southern Railways Mazdoor Union (SRMU) staged a protest at central railway station here on Thursday February 23, demanding a referral hospital for Palakkad division.

Speaking to Daijiworld, SRMU secretary Anand said that while the railway has provided referral hospitals to all other divisions, the Palakkad division is yet to get one.

He added that in Mangalore there are about 1000 employees, among which there are four or five families. They have no medical facilities, and are forced to go for expensive treatments whenever the need arises.

He pointed out about 150 railway employees in nearby Puttur have a referral hospital, but the 1000 employees in Mangalore have no medical aid.

Citing a case, he said one of the employees suffered from an illness recently and had to shell out Rs 1.5 lac on treatment. The other employees got together and helped him out, he added.

"We need a referral hospital at the earliest. We work round the clock and serve the passengers and public without complain. We deserve better medical facilities," Anand said.

He also said that most of the railway employees in Mangalore are Tamilians, and from North India, and not natives of Mangalore.

A memorandum in this regard has already been submitted to the railway minister, Anand said, adding that on Thursday, they gave another memorandum to the area officer.