New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Mayor Jai Prakash on Saturday wrote to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal requesting his intervention for the immediate release of Rs 460.40 crores as the first installment of grant-in-aid for this fiscal.

Prakash said the financial situation of the NDMC is in "dire straits" and it has not been able to pay the salaries of its doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation staff, other supporting staff and officers for February, March and April.

"The immediate release of Rs 460.40 crores for the financial year 2021-22 will help the North DMC to tide over the crisis for now. Our own revenue generation may take some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, hence, it is also requested to release a one-time pandemic relief package of Rs 1,000 crores immediately so that hospital work and other expenses are taken care of," he said in the letter.

The NDMC has three COVID hospitals under it. Hindu Rao Hospital, RBTB Hospital and Balak Ram Hospital have a total of more than 400 beds, Prakash said.

The mayor said he had apprised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the financial crunch and requested him to release the funds. But till date "not a single penny" has been released by the government, Prakash said.

"Due to non-payment of salaries, restlessness has already started creeping in among the municipal workers. At this juncture, the city cannot afford to have health and sanitation workers with low morale. This has shown ripple effect on their families too. To save the situation some urgent action is warranted," he urged.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)