Working without pay: Dengue inspectors unpaid for three months

65 environment inspectors have not received their salaries since July.

LAHORE:

Dozens of Dengue Control Programme officers who will be working during Eid holidays as well have not received their salaries for three months, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The environment inspectors have not received their salaries since July.

“There are 65 environment inspectors in Lahore who perform dengue surveillance duties. Due to our efforts, no serious dengue outbreak has occurred in the province this year. We had to work without pay on Eidul Fitar. This time it is no different,” said an environment inspector, requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the media.

“Our contracts expired on July 30. We were assured then that the contacts would be renewed and continued working. The health secretary renewed the contracts on August 19. However, we have yet to be paid our dues,” he said.

“We have repeatedly appealed to the authorities to take notice of the issue, but so far nothing has been done,” he said.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique told The Express Tribune it was highly shameful that employees had not been paid their salaries.

“I have directed the Health Department to resolve this issue immediately. The delay was apparently due to some paperwork problems. They will be resolved soon,” said Adviser to CM on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2014.