Gian Sagar Medical College falters again

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 3

Once again the management of Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, has failed to pay salary to its staff. Notably, the college staff has not been paid salary for the past six months. Earlier, the college staff and parents of students had met Punjab Medical Education Minister Brahm Mohindra in this regard and had urged him to resolve the issue at the earliest.   

Following the non-payment of salalry, the college staff has suspended work, causing inconvenience to patients as well as students. They are demanding a permanent solution to the problem as every year they are forced to protest after non-payment of salary. 

This time, even students joined the agitation and hit the road, demanding timely disbursal of salary to their teachers and the technical staff. Apart from that, the students are also demanding adequate staff strength, hostel facilities and proper utilisation of their fee.

To understand causes of the present crisis, the Punjab Government had constituted a four-member committee of professors, which had given a negative report against the college management. In their report, it had mentioned that the management was incompetent to run the college even if they somehow manage to resolve the present crisis. It has recommended that the government hire a qualified private agency to run the institute or take it under its own control. 

Medical Education Minister Brahm Mohindra had also held meetings with the management that had assured to release the pending salary till March 31. However, when the management did not turn up for any further meeting, Brahm Mohindra directed the Dean, College, to constitute an accounts scrutiny committee to go through the last two year’s income and expenditure of the institution. 

The committee, including the principal and senior doctors from different departments of the college and representatives of parents, had prepared a detailed report.  

Moreover, after the teachers and the paramedical staff, now even attendants have started protesting. The power supply to the college has also been scrapped. 

Meanwhile, Brahm Mohindra informed that the management was not ready to pay the salary but was trying to solve the issue.