The Hindu : Kerala News : Doctors' protest against delay in giving special allowance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Doctors' protest against delay in giving special allowance

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, NOV. 23. Government doctors on duty at various Government hospitals in Pampa, Neelimala, Appachimedu and Sannidhanam today detained the Additional Director of Health Services, S. Sivaraman, and the Medical Officer, S. Sreekumar, from 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. in protest against the delay in disbursing the special allowance.

Twenty-odd doctors have completed their special duty at the hospitals on Monday.

According to TDB sources, the special allowance could not be disbursed because of the delay in getting the mandatory clearance from the Kerala High Court as some clerical mistake occurred in the process.

The TDB is supposed to get a clearance from the High Court before disbursing the special allowance to the doctors and other medical staff on special duty at Sabarimala during the pilgrim season.

However, a clerical mistake occurred in the TDB appeal to the court, which delayed the entire process, the sources said.

Minister promises action

Following an assurance from the Health Minister, K. K. Ramachandran, the doctors withdrew the detention.

The Minister assured the doctors that it would be disbursed in the next few days.In an inspection at hotels and shops at Pampa today, the Duty Magistrate, M. Balakrishna Kurup, seized cigarettes valued at Rs. 10,000.

He said a bottle of Indian-made foreign liquor found hidden in a bundle of firewood at Pampa was also seized during the inspection.

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