Nurses intensify protest over job loss in Jaipur

JAIPUR: Around 400 contractual nurses removed from govt hospitals attached to SMS Medical College took out a rally outside the Jaipur collectorate Thursday and met district collector Sandesh Nayak, demanding reinstatement or alternative employment after being relieved from duty without prior notice.The nurses were informed on June 3 that their services would be terminated as hospitals replaced them with staff recruited through the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSSB). Employed through a placement agency, they were relieved once the RSSB recruits joined duty.Since June 4, they have been staging demonstrations at multiple locations in Jaipur, including outside SMS Hospital, SMS Medical College and the district collectorate.

The protest gained further momentum after removed nurse Deepak Charwal died by suicide on June 12, allegedly due to joblessness. His wife, Karishma, who is four months pregnant, allegedly attempted suicide Tuesday by consuming a poisonous substance.

She is undergoing treatment at SMS Hospital.“Even after 27 days since Charwal’s death, no concrete decision has been taken by the govt or administration. We demonstrated at Collectorate Circle, submitted a memorandum to Jaipur district collector Sandesh Nayak and held talks regarding our pending demands,” said protesting nurse Rajendra Rana.

He said nearly 400 nurses were left without income overnight. “We have children, parents and families to support. How will we meet our financial needs without work?” Rana said .Another protester, Mahesh Jat, said the delegation urged the collector to reinstate all removed nurses, arguing that hospitals continue to require trained nursing staff.Following the meeting, the nurses called off their proposed gherao of the collectorate but said their sit-in outside SMS Medical College would continue until the govt accepts their demands.