Around 120 contractual employees of the trauma care wing at the Malda Medical College & Hospital (MMCH) abstained from their duties and resorted to a 12-hour demonstration on Monday to protest against irregular payment of salaries.

The ad hoc staff, like security guards and paramedics, were engaged by the West Bengal Medical Services Corporation Limited through a private agency.

“We have not been regularly getting our salaries for the past few months. There were instances when we received our salaries after two or three months. That is why we demonstrated today, demanding the timely payment of salaries,” said one of the protesters.

The demonstration in front of the trauma care building affected some functions. No security personnel had been at the building from 5am when the contractual employees started the protest.

When the protests continued, MMCH officials spoke to the agitators and contacted the officials of the medical services corporation and the private agency.

“MMCH is a major referral hospital in north Bengal. Such protests affect different work. We hope the issue will be resolved soon,” said a senior administrative official of MMCH.

Later in the afternoon, the MMCH officials spoke to the protesters and explained that the matter had been taken up with the authorities concerned. The demonstration was withdrawn around 5pm.

“We understand the importance of a state-run referral hospital and withdrew the protests. But if the salaries continue to be irregular, we will be forced to launch the movement again,” said a security guard who had joined the protests.