Imphal, November 10 2009: Intensifying their demands, doctors and staff of JN Hospital have taken mass casual leave from today.

Doctors and staff of JN Hospital have been protesting the big difference between their salaries and the pay scale given to doctors of JNIMS.

They have already decided to take mass casual leave till November 13, to be followed by resignation en masse on November 21, in case the State Government fails to take up positive actions within the intervening period.

However, the Medical Superintendent of JN Hospital maintained that the doctors' agitation has little impact in the normal functions of the hospital.

He said that JNIMS doctors have been pressed into service to keep the hospital running.

"I did not accept the mass casual leave application they submitted to me", he said.

President of Working Committee of JN Hospital Employees' Welfare Association, S Surchandra said that all employees affiliated to the association had launched their stir by wearing black badges since yesterday.

In case the Government fails to give a positive response with regard to the demands raised by the association by November 21, doctors and staff attached to the association would resign en masse on the same day, Surchandra said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has appealed to the agitating doctors of JN Hospital to call off their stir.

The Chief Minister made the appeal during a meeting with representatives of the Working Committee of JN Hospital Employees' Welfare Association this afternoon.

Capitalising on the meeting convened by the Chief Minister, JN Hospital employees' representatives highlighted their grievances including the huge gap in the salaries of JNIMS doctors and JN Hospital doctors.

Appealing to the representatives to call off their stir, Ibobi said that extension of the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission to JN Hospital doctors at this point of time would amount to inviting more trouble and invite protests from employees of other Depts.

Assuring that the 6th Pay Commission would be implemented soon, the CM sought some time.

He assured that absorption of JN Hospital doctors in JNIMS would be completed within a month.

Once absorbed in JNIMS, the employees would be compulsorily given pay in the scale recommended by the 6th Pay Commission.

The Chief Minister sought cooperation of the doctors towards completing absorption process at the earliest.

After listening to the Chief Minister, the representatives of the Working Committee of JN Hospital Employees' Welfare Association said that they would consider the matter in a general body meeting tomorrow.

The representatives further proposed to the Chief Minister that they may hold another meeting based on the resolutions that would be adopted in the general body meeting.

Meanwhile, the Working Committee of JN Hospital Employees' Welfare Association has asked all its members to attend the general body meeting to be held at JN Hospital conference hall at 11 am tomorrow.

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