Attendants, sweepers, IFW and 44-day appointed Group-D employees under the banner of the Odisha Group ‘D’ Contractual Sarakari Karmachari Sangha, staged a dharna in front of the Health Doctorate near Naa Tala here on Tuesday demanding their permanent appointment.
Though it was raining continuously, hundreds of workers staged the strike. Samata Pradhan, hujar Murmu, Madhusudan Nath, M Krishnarao, Jamesh Khoshala, Bhabani Shankar Hansada participated in a hunger strike. Two protestors Bhabani Shankar Hansda and Madhusudan Nath were admitted in the Capital Hospital due to illness during the strike.
Sangha president Bhaskar Subudhi, general secretary Gobind Chandra Sahu said in 2014, the Health Department had directed the Director to give a proposal to the Government for their job regularisation. With this proposal, the department gave permanent appointment to 538 employees in 2014 and to 301 employees in 2015.
More than 200 employees are yet to get the permanent jobs. In spite of several demands, the Government has not taken any steps, said Subudhi.
The protestors threatened self-immolation in front of the Chief Minister’s house if their demands are not fulfilled.