The faculty members at government medical and dental colleges across Punjab have initiated symbolic protest against the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government on Thursday by wearing black badges.The body leading the protest, Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association, expressed concern over the delay in implementing time-bound re-designation and promotion of faculty members working in government medical and dental colleges in Punjab.In a press release issued here, the association said that despite repeated meetings, representations and assurances from the government, no concrete action had been taken on their long-pending demand. The teachers said the delay had created dissatisfaction among faculty members.Association President Dr Jaspreet Singh warned that the protest programme would be intensified if the government failed to take immediate action on the issue. “As of now, the faculty is wearing black badges while performing their regular duties in government medical and dental colleges across the state,” he said.General Secretary Dr Darshanjit Singh Walia appealed to the government to begin meaningful dialogue at the earliest to avoid further escalation of the matter. He said that timely action was necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of medical education and healthcare services in state-run medical and dental colleges.