THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amidst reports that the private hospital managements were not ready to accept the government's notification ensuring minimum wages for nurses, labour minister T P Ramakrishnan has affirmed that the notification has been issued to implement it."The government has issued the notification to implement it. We are committed to ensure that hospitals put into practice the suggestions notified. There are many ways for the department to make sure that the minimum wages are implemented,'' said the minister while speaking to reporters here.He said the private hospital managements have not informed the government that they would not be implementing the wage revision. "The government cannot act based on the statements made by anyone. Till now, no one has approached the government claiming that the minimum wages notification was not acceptable," said the minister.Meanwhile, private hospitals suggested they might move the court. "We will take legal opinion and then call for a meeting of the association members to decide on further course of action," said Kerala Private Hospitals Association KPHA ) president Dr PK Mohamed Rasheed.Though the government alleges that the managements were no co-operating, the fact remains that the government has failed to co-operate with the managements, not just in the matter of nurses' salary but also when it came to the Kerala Clinical Establishment Act, he added.When it was pointed out that private hospital managements were planning to approach court against the notification, the minister said the government will also be forced to take legal action."The labour department has implemented minimum wages in 22 other sectors and the government has ensured that minimum wages are maintained in these sectors. Hence, the department has its own means to ensure that it is implemented in the private hospitals as well,'' he added.The minister, however, was hopeful that the private hospitals will not oppose the minimum wages notified. The government is committed to ensure minimum wages in 80 sectors and till now, it has been implemented in 23 sectors, he said.He said periodic check-ups will be conducted in hospitals to ensure that the staff are paid minimum wages. When the minimum wages committee had submitted its report to the government it had also mentioned the actions that must be taken against institutions which do not implement it.Several rounds of talks were conducted to reach a consensus on fixing the minimum wages for the nurses. Oppositions were raised from some quarters and the government has come to a conclusion after considering all factors, the minister added.

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