Ludhiana, June 22 -- The contractor, who has been providing food to pregnant women at the mother and child section of the civil hospital, has said he has been without payment from the health department since November. "My bills worth over Rs.12 lakh have been pending since November. I am paying for the diet out of my own pocket," said contractor Rishi Saroy.

The contractor claimed that the delay was leading to losses and making it hard for him to continue the work. The women admitted to the hospital are given tea and biscuit before breakfast, porridge and fruits for breakfast, roti and dal for lunch and khichdi for dinner everyday.

The senior medical officer (SMO), Dr Harpreet Singh, said, "We have written to the higher-ups several time...