SSA group crowds Mintokgang gate seeking collective meeting with CM to pursue service extension demand

AMEET OBEROI
GANGTOK, 23 Jan: Around 100 teaching and non-teaching staff employed on contract basis under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan [SSA] by the Human Resource Development Department [HRDD] gathered at the gates of the Chief Minister’s official residence, Mintokgang, today demanding to meet him in person in pursuance of their demand seeking extension of their tenure. They are being supported by 176 Computer Teachers, who it is reported, had been assured by the Chief Minister of regular jobs, which have still not materialized and who have not received salaries for the last three months. Collectively, the group have formed an association by the name of “All Sikkim Departmental Adhoc Staff Group” [ASDASG] comprising of teaching and non-teaching staff.
“We have been trying to meet the Chief Minister for the past many days and have tried to get an appointment 2-3 times already, but have always been turned back by the PRO stating that we cannot get an appointment with the CM regarding this issue,” claimed Sonam G Sherpa [president, All Sikkim Departmental Adhoc Staff Group], while speaking to media-persons here today.
Interestingly, Mr. Sherpa also informed that the Chief Minister’s Office had conveyed word to them today to select a 5-member delegation to meet with the CM and discuss their demands. The ASDASG however decided not to send a small delegation and remained steadfast in their demand to meet him as a group, fearing that a smaller representation might feel intimidated and not pursue their demands as effectively.
At the crux of the matter is their demand for extension of their services.
“We were recruited last year and had put up the file regarding the extension of our tenure in November, 2011, and even the HRD Minister had approved the file for sanction. But when the file came to the officer’s level, it went missing and we have not been able to trace it,” he said. “It looks like that the departmental officials are trying to suppress the file and now we all have been running after the file to find its location,” he said.
“Our’s is a contractual job and we get consolidated pay and when we are asked to join we are given ‘service books’, wherein it reads that we are to have this job until the SSA projects running under the State government are not over, but here we are not even being given extension of our services even though the SSA continues,” argued Jigmee Bhutia, an ASDASG member.
He further informed that as they were drawing consolidated pay, they received only 22 days salary for December, 2011 instead of a complete month. “We were told that as we had worked for just the 22 working days we were being paid that amount,” he added.
Speaking on the agenda, the ASDASG president informed that the existing employees [under SSA] should continue on their jobs. Their group, he added, was “totally“ against NCTE criteria based norms and is also demanding that the previous staff should be extended the same privileges as the SSA regulars.
“There should be no discrimination from any department or the government policy, but should get equal justification before the eyes of law; we also want that there should be a systematic process for everyone in recruitment or extension; clear notification and circular should be forwarded by the department in any matter; we should be regularized under the manifesto of our state government as this list comes under the concurrent bill which has the same priority as the central government,” he added.
Mr. Sherpa insists that their group has no political affiliations and that they were taking the present stand for job security. He however added, “If our department cannot fulfill our demands, we will be compelled to become a politicised body”.
On the plan of action if a meeting with the Chief Minister as demanded by them does not materialize, he informed that the next course of action would be to go on a hunger strike, then march out with black flags and if even this approach fails, then turn completely political by fielding independent candidates for the upcoming panchayat elections and the assembly polls in 2014.
Meanwhile, the group sat in a meeting later in the day to decide future action. This meeting, the group’s president informs, resolved to try and meet the Chief Minister once again on Tuesday and should even this attempt end without results, go ahead with a dharna.
The president also alleged harassment by the PRO to the CM and the Superintendent of Police [East] in their bid to seek an appointment with the CM today.