By Sfoorti Mishra

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS): As the war against the deadly pandemic Covid-19 enters the fourth month, there are some corona warriors who are feeling the pinch of the crisis more than others. Nurses at an MCD hospital here have raised the issue of "underpayment" as well as salaries at "irregular intervals".

Propped up at the forefront of the battle lines these corona worriers, risking their lives and giving their blood and sweat as the country combats the dreaded novel coronavirus, had not thought they would be battling the economic crisis also.

All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF), General Secretary GK Khurana tells IANS, "The MCD hospital nurses have been going through this for a very long time and this corona time has made things difficult for them even more.

"MCD says it faces lack of funds. These nurses do not get salaries on time. They get their dues and promotions after a lot of struggle. Also they do not get the same benefits, which nurses working in Delhi Government or Central Government hospitals, be it Kasturba Gandhi Hospital or Hindurao Hospital, do."

Nurses of MCD hospitals located in different parts of Delhi shared their plight with IANS. However most wanted to go annonymous.

Speaking to IANS, one of the nurses at a hospital located in Kingsway Camp area, said : "This is not the first time when our salaries have been paid with huge irregularities. We nurses have been suffering this since last one year."

She said the salaries come once in three months. "I have received salary for the month of February on this Monday (May 4) and that too with huge deductions. They did not pay DA (Dearness Allowance) and arrears etc," she said adding that the salaries of March and April were still due.

"I received salary for the month of January in the month of March. And on top of it taxes were also deducted from the February salary," Anita said.

When asked the rationale behind the irregularity in paycheck, she said "I don't know the reason but whenever our union approaches the management, they always say MCD does not have money. MCD says Delhi government does not release funds, Delhi government passes the buck to Centre but we are suffering between these blame games."

She also said that nurses have to request their Union Head to write a letter to the MCD for the release of the salaries. "We don't get it unless she writes the letter to authorities everytime," said she, adding at the time of COVID-19 we have only been given N95 masks and that too after requesting continuously.

Another nurse from an MCD hospital, located in Delhi's Civil Lines area also confirmed the salary issue, however, she asked not to disclose her name and the name of the hospital she worked for. Similarly, one of the nurses, working in an MCD hospital, situated near Jama Masjid, also echoed the same issue.