Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Doctors block highway

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA, MAY 2. The teachers and doctors of the Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, the Basaveshwara Teaching and General Hospital and the Sangameshwar Hospital on Sunday blocked the busy Gulbarga-Sedam State highway for 30 minutes demanding settlement of their demands immediately.

The protesters, led by M.R. Medical College Teachers' Association president, S.M. Patil, its convener, R.C. Kanta, and the Non-Teaching Employees' Association president, N.D. Patil squatted on the road. The agitation entered the 12th day on Sunday.

The protesters decided to intensify their strike by staging a "rasta roko" and by organising a "bandh" in the city to pressure the Government to prevail upon the Hyderabad-Karnataka Education Society to concede the demands of teachers. The demands included payment of arrears of Dearness Allowance, leave encashment facility, Provident Fund, and time-bound promotions for all employees.

The striking teachers and doctors had resorted to indefinite hunger strike and Dr. S.M. Patil and two others, who were on indefinite strike from the first day, were shifted to the hospital after their health deteriorated.

The condition of Kamreddy and Mailari Kulkarni, who have been on fast for five days, too is causing concern. They are likely to be shifted to the hospital soon.

Meanwhile, the HKES Managing Council, which runs the medical college, on Friday passed a resolution conceding all the demands of the teaching staff and doctors had authorised its President, B.G. Jawali, to pay the arrears. However, the protesters are yet to be informed of this.

Except for attempts made by the society vice-president and MLC, Shashil G. Namoshi, and a few other council members such as Beemashankar Bilagundi, G.D. Anakal, and Sharanappa Giri, no steps had been taken to end the impasse. Dr. Jawali himself is yet to call on the striking doctors.

The strike has forced the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to put off the post-graduate practical examinations by 10 days.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Doctors block highway

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu