What a pity, nurses have to offer threat of suicide to get even a measly salary!!! There is no point in grandstanding on technical grounds regarding provision of justifiable salary to nurses in the country, and in Kerala in particular. The Labour Department says it cannot go beyond assuring minimum salary. What is the minimum salary? Doesn't the Labour Department feel that it should be steeply revised upwards? The Health Department has washed its hands off thinking that salary and other pecuiary benefits is none of its business. But it takes care of such things in the case of doctors, in government service, of course. Doctors in the private sector may not need such proactive action from the government. For, they may be taken care of very well, otherwise. The latest incident refers to suicide threat by the nurses. Managements do not pay salary to newly appointed nurses. They are considered as trainees only. This is a sad state of affairs. In the case of teachers of unaided schools, including the CBSE, the managements get the acquittance rolls signed by the teachers for a hefty salary, but then they give the teachers a pittance. This is the case with managements of missionaries and mercenaries. The social situation has changed and people have to be paid decently.