Bhubaneswar, Oct. 16: Cleaning operations at Capital Hospital came to a standstill today following a strike by sweepers engaged by a private contractor.

Operation theatres, intensive care units (ICUs) and special newborn care units were cleaned by the hospital’s permanent sweepers, who number only 25.

The sweepers were demanding that the contractor who had engaged them should provide proper payslips and details of their provident fund deductions.

Capital Hospital’s cleaning operations are managed by 65 sweepers engaged by the private contractor and the hospital’s own team of 25 permanent sweepers. “The sweepers on our payroll hardly do anything. They shirk work all the time. They played all kinds of games today,” said a senior doctor.

The agitating sweepers have a number of grievances: one of them is that they are not provided with proper payslips and other facilities.

“Since November last year, Rs 400 is being deducted from the salary of each one of us, but we are never given any information about the total money deposited. On October 11, we met hospital administrator Alok Swain and he promised that the details would be provided immediately, but till this morning nothing was given to us. As the authorities do not listen to us, we resorted to the agitation,” said Kishore Diggal, a leader of the sweepers.

Chief medical officer Sudarshan Dash at first claimed no knowledge of the entire episode. “The issue is between the contractor and the sweepers. We have nothing to do with it. If the stalemate continues, we might think of an alternative and go for fresh tendering to replace the present one,” Dash said.

“We have spoken to the proprietors of Abhiram Cleaning, the agency, and they will bring the documents. They will be asked to provide details to the agitating sweepers as their service is essential for the hospital,” he added.