Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Jun 10: Former MLA Pramodh Madhwaraj has urged the Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat to solve the salary issues faced by the staff of the Government Koosamma Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Mother & Child Hospital on priority.

In a press release, the former MLA said, "As per the MoU, the land had to be provided on lease for the construction of a 400-bed hospital, the profit of which would be used to conduct operations of the 200-bed mother and child hospital. It also clearly mentioned that both of these hospitals will be not for profit centres. The revenue gained from the 400-bed hospital will be used for running both of these hospitals. But as the current MLA, Raghupathi Bhat had objected to the construction of the 400-bed hospital and since the government has not settled the pending dues, BRS Hospital is unable to pay the salaries of its staff."

"Even though the previous government gave permission for the construction of the 400-bed hospital, the new BJP government withdrew the permission and caused hindrance to the smooth functioning of this multispecialty mother and child hospital. If the 400-bed hospital was operational that would have been helpful for the management of the Covid crisis as well," he opined.

"This issue has cropped up because of MLA Raghupathi Bhat, and now he should solve it. No salary has led to the staff of the hospital getting mentally stressed and as a result, it is disrupting the efficient functioning of the hospital," Madhwaraj said.

"On Wednesday, June 9, the staff of Government Koosamma Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Mother & Child Hospital went on a strike demanding the payment of the past three months salary. The hospital has achieved a milestone by completing more than 1,000 successful deliveries in a short period of time. The hospital is maintained by BR Life. It is a well-equipped facility for the treatment of the mother and the child," he said.