Uncertain Fate of Healthcare Heroes

So! You are disengaged; An ordeal of those who served for over a decade, came across the order through their watsapp group same day evening after getting off from their routine duties, concludes “GMC Srinagar Order No:381-of 2023 dated:01-06-2023- “Now, in light of the facts and circumstances, the 93 paramedics appointed under SRO-384 are disengaged immediately”).

Irrespective of whose compulsions, whether that of the department’s requirements or binding to oblige the orders of the hon’ble courts; their services for sure utilized during the prime time of their life and then ‘use and throw’. Who to blame, the authorities at the helm or the similarly placed colleagues who managed to get a status-quo order from the apex court, by playing a ‘foul’ with ninety three (93), just for some delay in paying minimal litigation charges, the unjust ground to drop these 93 from the list submitted with the apex court of the country to get relief; and the remaining ones left to fend for themselves.

The buck does not staff here, the left out are immediately shown the door for not being in the initial list of those who had approached the court a day before and got status-quo, ignoring the fact that all stand appointed under same order and through a similar proper selection process and all being identical; what remains ignored is the principle of equal justice, not upheld in haste probably to remain in the good books of their higher ups, “more loyal than the king”, ignoring the fact that the final outcome of the subject matter is yet to come, and closing the eyes to the reality that fate of those in the apex court would be extended to disengaged also, but how long should they survive, these are the ones who are the lone bread earners of their families and aged, who after facing this wrath are struggling the schooling of their kids and craving to sustain.

Notifying employees of their disengagement is really the most difficult moment, which delivers what is often life-changing; and then anxiety, despondency and even dark future ahead, expectations dashed to ground and no authority giving a compassionate ear and energetic efforts to find a solution, but only remarks passed boldly, “you have served for 12 years and you have been paid for that”, another sign of uncertainty.

It was not the final word, the impression created that there was no light at the end of the tunnel is not “for the people, by the people, of the people”, neither an uphill task to be modified sympathetically, as once awarded ‘backbones’ of healthcare in the associated hospital of Government Medical College, Srinagar and the so-called “COVID WARRIORS”, having served these healthcare facilities in crucial times, have been deprived of their livelihood and so the future.

Shhhhhh…………………..!!!!! Don’t question the authorities at the helm of affairs for such a half-hearted job policy, with reigns to sack those who dedicated their life to lifeless. Should we blame the appointed ones who sought to find justice, anticipating a bleak future or for the efforts to remove the tag---a  journey of ‘maximum upto six years’; unusual and just short of one year from those thousands of contractuals whose future was secured from time to time.

Hey! It is not over yet; Being the elected representative, this is your moral obligation to give a sympathetic view towards the plight, does not bar you to give any relief by revoking the orders issued in haste in the erstwhile administrative set up; to mitigate hardships and sufferings of the aggrieved, to ensure uniformity of justice, and also to make them enable reap the benefits of the final verdict at par with others.

By: M Shuaib Wani