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| EJAC 'Secretariat Chalo' on Apr 12 | | Police asked to check attendance in office, prepare video-graphs of 'trouble makers' | |
ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 8: With Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) failing to restore normalcy in government offices and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), the State government today again acted tough against the striking employees and detained five employees' leaders including two women for mobilizing the employees in support of strike.
While the State government has directed the police to check attendance in offices, prepare dossiers and video-graph of "trouble-makers," Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), an amalgam of several employees' associations, has called for 'Secretariat Chalo' on April 12.
The government order came after the employees remained on strike for the fifth day undeterred by the state government invoking ESMO and arresting over 37 union leaders, spearheading the stir to demand payment of sixth pay commission arrears.
"All deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police in Jammu are directed to activate mobile inspection teams/squads constituted for the purpose to check attendance and file reports to the office of the Divisional Commissioner by 1600 hours daily," official sources said.
They further said, "All heads of the departments concerned are directed to take control of the attendance registers of their employees and keep a note of attendance of employees by themselves, both the arrival and departure time," adding that the names and designations of the employees who disrupt essential services or instigate other employees to not to work or did not work despite marking presence in the attendance registers, shall be conveyed to the administrative secretaries of their departments for action under ESMO.
Ram Kumar Sharma, convenor EJAC Jammu Chapter said, "The Central Executive Committee of EJAC held a meeting this afternoon and decided to hold 'Secretariat Chalo' protest rally in Jammu while the employees in Kashmir region would hold 'Lal Chowk Chalo' on April 12. Besides, the employees at tehsil and district levels would hold protest to express their resentment against the government's suppressive tactics and invocation of ESMO."
Talking to the Early Times, Nazir Ahmed Mir, president Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees described the arresting of employees' leaders and invocation of ESMO as "Police Raaj" and warned that the government would not budge down.
"Due to suppressive measures adopted by the government, situation in the State would further deteriorate and the onus would lies on the government," he said, adding "Employees are united and they will fight till their demands are not fulfilled."
He also suggested the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to shun the path of confrontation and resolve the issues of the employees. "If the government makes a sincere approach and withdraws ESMO, the employees are ready for holding talks," he said.
Reports said that police arrested two women employees identified as Koushal Kumari and Pawanjeet Kour from SMGS Hospital when they were mobilizing the employees for strike. However, they were released by the police after the employees' "threat" of suspending emergency services.
Sources said that three Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) leaders led by Rehmt-ullah-Malik and Mohammed Parveez were locked in the office of the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar when they were mobilizing the employees to participate in the ongoing strike.
The employees' leaders alleged that police has been conducting continuous raids on their residences to suppress their voice.
"Police has been conducting raids at the residential quarters and houses since past couple of days. Employees are not criminal and they have just demanded their rights," a senior EJAC leader said.
Meanwhile, situation turned grim in government institutions and PSUs particularly government run hospitals due to the strike of the employees.
The patients from far-off places had to face several hardships due to non-availability of para-medical staff in their respective offices.
Despite the restoration of routine checkup at Out Patient Departments (OPDs) at Government Medical College & Hospital Jammu and its allied hospitals since yesterday, health services remained affected for fifth straight day today. Entire GMCH Jammu premise was virtually cordoned off by the police personnel due to ensure smooth health services in the hospital.
Interestingly, the slip counters at OPDs were manned by the private security personnel deployed in the hospital.
Besides, the patients were being given treatment in the presence of strong contingent of police at OPD but they had to move out from the hospitals for minor tests due to strike by technicians and other para-medics in the hospital.
The employees have been demanding release of arrears of Sixth pay commission with effect from January 1, 2006, release of pending 5 per cent HRA, issuance of order for regularization of all temporary, adhoc, consolidated, contractual employees and daily rated workers before and after 1994, removal of pay anomalies of various cadres, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years and conversion of COLA into DA of PSUs. The government needs Rs 4200 crores to release arrears of the employees since January 2006.
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