The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : House surgeons call off hunger strike

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Monday, Mar 17, 2008
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House surgeons call off hunger strike

Correspondent

Authorities promise to consider their demands

Demands to be discussed at a meet on March 26
Condition of four deteriorates

CUTTACK: The striking house surgeons of the National Institute of Rehabilitation Training And Research (Nirtar) in Gobindpur, about 30 km from here, called off their hunger strike on Sunday following assurance by the authorities that their demands would be duly considered at the executive meeting of the institute in New Delhi on March 26.

The house surgeons of the 30-year-old hospital, which has been working on locomotors disability of patients under the Union Ministry of Social Justice, were on strike from Thursday demanding hike in their stipend.

The junior doctors were demanding increase of their monthly stipend from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,750.

Anxious moments

The strike was called off not before a lot of anxious developments that took place inside the campus on Sunday. Early in the morning, the condition of four striking house surgeons deteriorated and they were shifted to hospital. The authorities then asked the students to vacate their hostels after requisitioning the service of the police and magistrate.

This forced the striking house surgeons to climb down from their position and agreed for a negotiation.

An 11-member delegation of students then met Director B.M. Pradhan and joint director Sanjay Das.

The authorities admitted that the demands of the students were genuine and assured that the executive meeting of the institute would discuss the same at its next meeting in New Delhi on March 26.

The students gave in writing that they would call off their indefinite strike. Normalcy was, however, returned to the hospital in the evening.

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