Tura: The state of Meghalaya’s finances is in focus again due to the non-payment of salaries to the nurses, technicians, and other staff who have been working during the COVID-19 pandemic. These employees, which include Grade IV workers such as cleaners, ward attendants, and drivers, have not received their salaries for the past six months.
However, upon being contacted, the director of the Department of Health Services (DHS) Dr HC Lyndem said that salaries for nurses, technicians, and other staff who have been working during the COVID-19 pandemic were being disbursed starting today, December 14. The director did not give any reason as to why the payments were delayed.
The non-release of salaries for nurses, technicians, and other medical staff in Meghalaya has been a major issue, with many employees complaining that they are unable to manage their expenses without being paid. Some employees have not received their salaries since July of this year.
“We have gone to various people over the issue of our salary disbursal but didn’t get any response from any of them. We met the DC of WGH as well but nothing happened. Our last hope was the chief minister, Conrad Sangma, to whom we wrote in November and even informed in person. However, despite more than a month passing, we are still not being paid our salaries,” said a COVID nurse on the condition of anonymity.
The employees confirmed that a week after meeting the CM and submitting their complaint, they followed up with him but were left disappointed.
The employee added that with the meagre amounts that they were getting already stretching them out, the non-receipt of salary over the past 6 months has literally broken their backbone.
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“Where are we to pay for our children’s education or for food and groceries? Some of us are the only earning members of our family and this has caused us so much of strain in our lives. To top it all, the Holiday Season is upon us and we are completely broke. We dread to think of what will happen if we cannot provide for our family this month,” added another technician.
The employees questioned as to why they were being denied despite the fact that the state has spent hundreds of crores during COVID.
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