MYSURU: Eighty pourakarkikas, who are working on contract at Cheluvamba Hospital , have allegedly not been paid salaries for the past 6 months, their 10-hour daily service notwithstanding. Most of them have been working here for the past 10 years. Those who have been serving here for 20 years are paid only Rs4,500, which is a clear violation of the Labour Act.On Friday morning, the aggrieved pourakarmikas staged a protest seeking their dues . The agitators told TOI: "Though we have brought the matter to the notice of the authorities concerned and the contractor, no action has been taken. The contractor and authorities are indulging in blame game. In spite of us working here for more than 10 years, we have not been given PF or ESI. If we ask contractors to provide the same, they threaten us with termination". To run family and make ends meet, most of them have pledged their gold ornaments. They are also forced to work overtime for the same salary When the issue was brought to the notice of DC D Randeep, he said: "Besides salary, they should also be given PF and ESI facilities. To know the ground reality and their issues, I will send assistant labour commissioner Meena Patil and see that their issues are sorted out at the earliest."Dr Radhamani, superintendent of Cheluvambha Hospital, also promised to speak to the contractor and solve their problems.

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