Pending salaries of all doctors for March paid: NDMC tells Delhi HC

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it has paid pending salaries of March to all doctors, who are playing an active role as frontline warriors during COVID-19 pandemic, and of April to resident doctors only.

In a status report, North DMC said that it appreciates the active role that is being played by the doctors as frontline warriors during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also stated that North DMC would never withhold salaries of any class of employees.

Appearing for NDMC, senior advocate HS Phoolka told the division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan that the corporation has received Rs 8 crore from the Delhi government.

The Delhi High Court said that while on one side doctors are being praised for their contribution during the pandemic but on the other side, their salaries are not being paid while hearing the matter related to release of pending salaries of various categories of North DMC doctors.

The court expressed its concern on the pending salaries of NDMC doctors.

North DMC counsel Phoolka along with advocate Akhil Mittal told the court that the corporation is dependent upon the basic tax assignments or grant-in-aid which is payable by Delhi government to the civic bodies. In a status report filed by North DMC, it was stated that the corporation has suffered losses in the revenues generated by its own sources like parking, advertisements, and others.

The North DMC had paid salaries to all categories of employees until February 2020. It said that it is due to the grave financial constraints being faced by the body because of the non-release of requisite grant-in-aid by Delhi Income and expenditure department that North DMC was facing a financial crunch.

The North DMC said that the cause of the financial crunch is that the Delhi government has not been implementing the recommendations of the Delhi Finance Commission in its true letter and spirit.

The court asked Delhi government to file a response on the issues raised and listed it for further hearing on July 29.

The Delhi High Court had taken suo moto cognisance on a report related to non-payment of salaries to MCD doctors for the last 3 months.

According to reports, North MCD hospital doctors had threatened for mass resignation or to observe a pen-down strike if their salaries of the past three months are not paid.

Kasturba hospital's doctors had written a letter to the administration threatening mass resignation while Hindu Rao hospital doctors have reportedly drafted a letter threatening 'pen-down' strike.

( With inputs from ANI )