The doctors and medical staff of Hindu Rao Hospital here, who have been protesting since last week over the non-payment of their salaries for the last three months, have given a one-week time to the authorities to either pay their dues or they would be forced to intensify their strike.

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The Mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, however, sought two months' time to sort out the issue. Dr Abhimanyu Sardana, president of the Resident Doctors' Association in the hospital, said they are forced to protest due to the non-payment of salaries. "It's been 106 days that we have not got salaries. We are under pen-down strike from 9 am to 12 every day since last week." He added that it has become a norm that they are not given salaries on time. "Many employees have come from other parts of the country. They too have to pay their rents. If after working for 12 hours, I return home and find that there is no money left in my account, how will I survive? Many among us are also on COVID-19 duty, risking their lives," Dr Sardana said.

He said they wrote to hospital authorities regarding this. "They told us that the hospital did not have any funds left, neither did the Delhi government provide any. There must be a proper channel for salary transfer," said the doctor. "If our salaries are not paid by next week, we will have to increase the severity of our strike," he added.

The North Delhi Mayor said they have paid the salaries till June. "The staff should definitely get their salaries on time as they are also our COVID warriors. I request them to have patience as we are trying to clear their dues. We will try to sort out such issues in the next 60 days." Dr Sardana demanded that the authorities must not only regularise their salary but also fix a date when it would come every month. "I am a doctor. If I fall sick today, will I wait for 60 days for medicine," he asked.