Recently regularized employees continue demand for release of salaries

DEPARTMENT REITERATES INTERIM RELIEF OFFER
GANGTOK, 13 Aug: A section of temporary employees of the Power & Energy Department whose services were cleared for regularization in March, but who have not received salaries since then despite having been issued regularization letters, gathered in protest for the third consecutive day at the Department’s head office today and marched up to Ridge Park attempting to make it to Samman Bhawan, the CM’s office, in a bid to meet the Chief Minister and place their grievances to him.
The aggrieved employees, who had met the Power Minister and Secretary yesterday and turned down the interim arrangement offered by the, could not meet the CM today as well. There was proper police bandobast at the spot and the group could not meet officials at the CMO either.
Meanwhile, the Power & Energy Department Secretary-cum-Principal Chief Engineer, PB Subba, issued an official press statement today, reiterating the interim relief offer.
The Secretary conveys that the government has decided to release monthly interim relief equivalent to salaries last drawn by the recent regularized employees in their earlier temporary establishment till the completion of re-verification process. This, he clarifies, was being offered as a relief measure and to avoid hardships being faced by the employees whose cases are under process of regularization.
“The re-verification is being conducted to protect the interests of the local people,” the release details, adding that the government has already set aside sufficient funds in the current year’s budget allocation for regularization of employees.
The offer has already been rejected by the group representing the around 1,450 MR and WC employees who were regularized in the Power Department in March and then the regularization process put in abeyance pending reverification.
Today, the employees stayed away from their work demanding that their pending salaries be paid.
In the meantime, the All Sikkim Government Master Roll and Work-charged Employees’ Association office bearers today tendered an unconditional apology to media-persons who were heckled on Tuesday by association members during the protest dharna at the Power Department.