State Minister for Health Digvijay Khanwilkar said this afternoon that a notice has been issued to the agitating Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors to either resume work by 5 pm today or vacate their hostels by tomorrow.

The MARD strike meanwhile entered its 39th day today. The doctors have been on strike in support of their demands like delinking from all medical colleges from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, reduction in post-graduate fees, increase in dearness allowance, stipendary DNB posts.

A MARD member said they have not received any official communication from the state government over the ultimatum issued today. "We heard about it from the press," a MARD member said.

"Their attitude is bad. It will not work," Khanwilkar told this correspondent. He added that he will release advertisements for new people in their place if they do not resume duty. "I will get enough people," he added confidently.

The government had last week decided to delink all medical colleges from the MUHS till it gets Medical Council of India's recognition which is mandatory for any doctor wishing to practise outside Maharashtra. However, MARD demanded that the government produce the order in writing.

The state government then put the condition that negotiations would be held with the striking doctors only if they withdrew the strike. This was not acceptable to the doctors.

A MARD member said that the strike has not yet been called off.