STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Projecting the pathetic plight of the contractual lecturers observing hunger strike in Jammu in the scorching heat, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP Chairman and former Minister, on Wednesday appealed to the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti to issue early instructions for redressal of their genuine claims and grievances.
During his meeting with the Chief Minister in Srinagar today, Singh apprised her about the 10+2 Contractual Lecturers who were sitting on 24×7 relay fast for the last four months in sun and rain with not a single word emanating from the government for settling their long pending demand of regularisation.
He said that contractual lecturers were engaged in schools on paltry emoluments of Rs. 7,000 per month and were terminated under the most obnoxious “use and throw” policy at the sweet will of authorities. He demanded that they be regularised after a fixed period of service with further framing of a policy reserving a fixed number of seats for them in all selections for lecturers and teachers.
Pointing towards the equally deplorable plight of contractual technocrats working in the polytechnic colleges, Singh pointed out that having served for 7, 10 and even 24 years in specific cases, the said lecturers were denied regularisation and made to work on contract at the negligible emoluments of Rs. 7000 which was the greatest violation of human rights besides exploitative enslavement of highly qualified technocrats.
He apprised the Chief Minister that there were around 250 contractual lecturers in 24 polytechnics of the State who could be easily absorbed against the available 328 sanctioned posts lying vacant, but the lack of political will was the greatest obstacle in the absorption of the said technocrats. No financial implication was involved in view of sanctioned posts for the said polytechnics already existing, divulged Singh.
Harsh further projected the genuine grievances of the Female Multipurpose Health Workers (FMPHWs) who were not only denied their salaries for the last around 15 months but were cane charged and mercilessly beaten for having demanded their pending salaries.
Likewise the daily rated workers of PHE, PWD, M&RE, I&FC, Tourism, TDAs etc were without wages for the last two years thus forcing them to starvation.
He apprised the Chief Minister about the striking Anganwari workers and ASHA workers and sought instructions to concern for addressing their genuine issues. He further pointed out the anger brewing amongst the ReTs engaged under SSA who had been deprived of their salaries for more than six months and were planning a massive agitation which could adversely impact upon the working of educational institutions across the state.
Harsh further stated the most opprobrious conduct of PSC which was facing tremendous criticism from one and all not only for highly biased and parochial selections but several other irregularities and malfunctioning during the last two years.
The Chief Minister shared the concern of Harsh for justice to the aggrieved sections and assured him to have all the said issues examined for appropriate action at the earliest possible.
