With Government doctors threatening to go on strike from Monday and add to the woes of the general public already reeling under the strike of ministerial employees of collectorate, Sangrah Ameens and teachers, it appears that the State is fast turning out to be a strike State and Dehradun becoming an agitation capital.
The Government doctors are demanding that the State Government should implement the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) according to which the doctors get assured increase in their grade pays after 4,9,13 and 20 years of service. Though there are differences in the association of doctors, the Provincial Medical and Health Services (PMHS) on the strike call, but it is sure that the doctors are ready to throw the health services of State out of gear if their demands are not met.
The teachers of high schools and inter colleges of the State are already on chalk down strike on their six point agenda which includes Assured Career Progression (ACP), promotions to headmasters and payment of inaccessible allowance for the teachers posted at remote areas. The ministerial employees of the collectorate are on a strike from last 11 days due to which all major administrative works are severely hampered. The Sangrah Ameens are on strike from last 52 days due to which all revenue works in the state are at standstill. The Sangrah ameens and the ministerial employee are demanding reservation for them for Nayab Tehsildar cadre. The State Government is in a classical catch-22 situation as different cadres of revenue departments are demanding reservation for Nayab Tehsildar and if it accepts demand of one cadre the chances of intense reaction from other cadre are very high.
The people of Dehradun have to face the major brunt of agitations of different groups. The overhead water tanks of the city have become one of the favourite agitation sites to attract the desired public and administration attentions. Different organizations have scaled these tanks in support of their demands,on Saturday nine agitators belonging the Physical education unemployed federation scaled the water tank in race course area of the city and threatened to jump from there if their demands are not accepted.On Sunday afternoon two agitators including a woman descended from the tank but others refused to budge. These unemployed youths are demanding that the post of physical education teacher should be created in every government school of state. The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) qualified unemployed youths are also on a path of agitation since January 5 this year.
They are demanding that the government should immediately start the recruitment process for teachers in the primary schools of state. Thousands of Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam limited (UPNl) employees are also on a path of agitation in support of their three point demands. The Shiksha Acharyas are sitting at the old Raipur bus stand for more than two years in support of their demand for being adjusted as Shiksha Mitra in the education department. The workers of Prantiya Raksha Dal (PRD) are also on a path of agitation to regularize their services.
In order to attract the public attentions these agitating unions retort to secretariat march or rally which throws the traffic of city out of gear and cause problems to the people of city.