Workers at the Amma Canteen in Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) claim that they have not been paid their salaries for three months.
The Amma Canteen at the GRH has been serving 1,200 idlis for breakfast and 300 packets of sambar and curd rice for lunch, for the past five years. The 12-member women’s self-help group running the canteen says the members spend most of the morning preparing the batter and ensuring that good quality food is served at cheap rates to those visiting sick people at the hospital.
The workers should receive a total of ₹320 per day (₹9,600 a month) from Madurai Corporation. The women work for eight hours in two shifts.
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One of the senior members of the SHG said that salary for October, November and December was yet to be received. “Salary for September was pending as well but we received it in mid-December,” she said.
The Hindu spoke to four members of the 12-member crew who are all the sole breadwinners for their families. All of them, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that they were not able to make ends meet. They had borrowed heavily, thereby stacking up their debts.
Chandra*, whose husband died eight years ago, is the mother of three girls and a boy. “My three children are studying in college and school. All my children survive on hand-me-downs and I have borrowed at least ₹5,000,” she said. She added that she still must pay ₹6,000.
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Suja*, another worker who is the only source of income for her family of four, said that she was open to taking up other jobs because of the severe constraint the Corporation was causing by delaying payment. “However, women at my age with limited education have no opportunities. I often feel helpless,” she said.
A senior member of the SHG said that each Amma Canteen has at least four or five widows who face similar plight when they do not get salary.
Earlier this month, they met Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar and City Health Officer Satish Raghavan to explain their plight. No change has taken place since the meeting.
When contacted, an official of the Health department said that the process of approving bills was first done manually. The gradual shift to computerisation had led to the delay. “The Corporation has processed their salary for October. A bill for November and December will be processed within a week,” he said.
Dr. Aneesh Sekhar said that there was only a month’s delay and he would look into the matter.
*Name changed on request