Burdwan, Jan. 1: The first day of 2005 brought disaster for over 500 patients at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital when cleaners and security staff of a contractors? firm ceased work to protest against non-payment of dues.

The agitators threatened to launch an indefinite strike if their dues are not paid immediately.

The agitating employees locked their office room, pasted a strike notice on the wall and walked out of the hospital, leaving no one to clean the wards and look after security.

?The staff gave me a copy of their charter of demands. We are trying to negotiate with them,? said Sarit Chowdhury, the superintendent and vice-principal of the hospital.

Patients and relatives bore the brunt.

?It was really an ordeal for me to take my father to the hospital after he suffered a cardiac attack. It was difficult to enter the hospital as the main gate was virtually blocked by auto-rickshaws because of the absence of security staff,? complained Shyamal Dutta, who had to wait for more than two hours to move his car inside the hospital.

A few elderly patients in the female ward did not have lunch because of the dirt and the foul smell. ?Can a human being have lunch under such circumstances?? asked a lady in the maternity ward.

Pravakar Chatterjee, the director of health services, said a ceasework was not expected at a hospital.

?Cleaning and security are considered emergency services. The staff and the contractor should not have locked their office and left. I have asked the hospital authorities to take steps against the contractor,? he said.

Under the West Bengal State Health Development Project-II scheme, the health department decided to engage private agencies for cleaning and security of hospitals. Soumendra Ghosh was, subsequently, given the contract for Burdwan Medical College and Hospital for one year on October 1, 2003, for a fee of Rs 91,000 every month. Hospital authorities extended the contract till August 31, 2004.

?I was selected thrice in September. This time, it was mentioned in the agreement that additional 79 staff would be recruited for the maintenance of the hospital,? Ghosh said.

The contractor alleged that the new agreement has not been brought into effect. ?The monthly payment of Rs 91,000 is also due for the past nine months. Besides, my workers ? under the banner of a union backed by Citu ? are also demanding a hike in salary. It is not possible for me to continue the work with dues of more than Rs 8 lakh,? he said.

However, hospital authorities argued: ?Implementation of the new contract is under process. It is taking time because of some complications. And the dues will also be paid soon.?

Sudhir Roy, the secretary of Citu?s Burdwan town committee, denied having put pressure on the contractor and demanded a meeting to sort out the salary problem.