Scores of health and medical employees observed a strike on Monday because they have not been paid salaries for the past two months. Reason: Two chief medical officers are currently in charge of Bandipora district. The district treasury officer has stopped the salaries becuse it is not clear to him which of the two has the powers to disburse salaries of the employees.
The issue of double CMO arose after the directorate of health services Kashmir attached then CMO and gave CMO Bandipora’s charge additionally to CMO Baramulla.
However, the attached CMO got his attachment order stayed by a court.
“We are unable to release the salary of the employees because there is confusion over the position of the CMO,” said an official of the treasury office Bandipora.
Among those who were on strike were a few doctors. One of them said, “The directorate office should take comprehensive measures to make the system accountable at Bandipora. Why should around 200 employees suffer?”