Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka and Tripura are yet to follow directives timely payment of salaries to healthcare workers engaged in Covid-19

New Delhi: Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka and Tripura are yet to follow directives on timely payment of salaries to healthcare workers engaged in Covid-19, the Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court.

The court directed the Centre to issue necessary directions for releasing salaries of doctors and frontline healthcare workers engaged in Covid-19 duty on time.

Supreme Court"If the states are not complying with the directions and orders of the Central government, you are not helpless. You have to ensure that your order is implemented. You have got the power under the Disaster Management Act. You can take steps also", the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre.

Mehta said that after the top court's directions on June 17, necessary orders were issued on June 18 to all the states, with regard to payment of salaries to healthcare workers.

He said that many states have complied with the directions but some of them like Maharashtra, Punjab, Tripura and Karnataka have not paid salaries to the doctors and healthcare workers on time.

CoronavirusOn June 17, the top court had directed the Centre to issue orders in 24-hours to all states and Union Territories for payment of salaries to doctors and healthcare workers as also for providing suitable quarantine facilities for those who are directly engaged in treatment of Covid-19 patients.