Dr Arun Jamkar, dean, B J Medical College said that services were not affected and nearly 135 resident doctors came for duty from departments of medicine, psychiatry, TB, surgery, paediatrics and forensic medicine.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) Pune unit spokesperson Dr Abhilesh Darada, however, said that only a section of the doctors - an approximate 40-50 resident doctors from four to five departments - have not joined the strike. The strike is total in the state.

Dr P S Pawar, superintendent, Sassoon General hospital said that measures have been taken to ensure that the strike does not paralyse services. Professors and associate doctors were roped in to meet the hospital demands.

The resident doctors went on strike late on Tuesday night. Their demands include parity in pay scales with resident doctors of other states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

Mahesh Mistry, general secretary of MARD said that resident doctors of other states are given more than Rs 30-40,000 per month for eight hours of daily work as against the resident doctors in Maharashtra who get Rs 15,000 for 24 hours duty. Their demands also include enhancing the stipend to at least Rs 35,000 per month, maternity leave for lady doctors and occupational sickness leave for those on duty with patients suffering from tuberculosis, malaria etc.