Interns go on indefinite strike

They want immediate disbursal of stipend for three months

Interns of Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital started their indefinite strike on Wednesday in protest against non-disbursal of their stipend for three months creating adverse impact on the essential services of the TVMCH even as the COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

The students, who have pitched a ‘shamiana’ on the TVMCH premises for continuing the agitation, said the interns, who were mostly relying on the stipend being given by the Tamil Nadu Government to meet their expenses, were in a difficult situation after it was not paid for the past three months. Even after getting money from the parents all these years, the interns, who have to take care of their own expenses through the stipend, had to disturb their parents again for the government’s failure.

Besides giving this arrear of ₹ 75,000 immediately, the Tamil Nadu Government should give the assurance that the stipend would be given to the interns every month.