HYDERABAD: The protest by over 150 homoeopathy house surgeons and postgraduate scholars, who are boycotting work demanding a 15 per cent hike of their stipend as assured by the state government, entered the eighth day on Wednesday.
Expressing solidarity with them were unani and ayurveda doctors who joined them at JSPS government homeopathic medical college in Ramanthapur on Wednesday.
The protestors lamented that even the little that they were presently entitled to has not been paid in over seven months.
"According to a 2014 GO, our stipend is to be hiked by 15 per cent every two years. However, it has remained the same for nine years now. Our peers from other states draw 70-80 times of the peanuts that we receive," said Arun Kathi, a house surgeon who gets Rs 10,500 per month.
His colleague, a third-year AYUSH scholar, said that he has not been paid the monthly stipend of 26,450 for the last six months.
Incidentally, Ayush scholars from the state receive the lowest stipend vis-à-vis other states. Scholars at BHU, for instance, get about Rs one lakh in the third year, followed by New Delhi Rs 95,000 while those from Andhra Pradesh receive about Rs 39,000 in their third year.
"We are aware that our boycott will cost a lot but we cannot afford to provide services at the cost of our own courses. We hope the government will take a decision soon or we will be forced to continue the strike," said Sandhya M, a house surgeon.
While the students reached out to several authorities, including AYUSH commissioner Hari Chandana, nothing positive has transpired.
POINTERS:
Comparative study of monthly stipend amount
TELANGANA -
First year- Rs 23,805
Second year- Rs 25,128
Third year- Rs 26,450
ANDHRA PRADESH -
First year - Rs 35,000
Second year - Rs 37,000
Third year- Rs 39,000
BHU-VARANASI -
First year- Rs 93,000
Second year- Rs 95,000
Third year- Around Rs 1 lakh
PUNJAB – Rs 45,000 all three years
NEW DELHI - Rs 95,000 all three years
UTTARAKHAND - Rs 50,000 all three years
