The State-wide indefinite strike called under the banner of the Uttarakhand Ministerial Collectorate Employees' Association entered its eighth day on Monday in support of its four-point charter of demands. The association had already staged a three-day work boycott from 10 to 12 September with the ultimatum that if the demands of the ministerial collectorate employees were not met by then the association would go for an indefinite strike.
The Pauri unit of Uttarakhand Ministerial Collectorate Employees' Association began the strike on the call of its State association. This aside, it keeps on staging dharna/sin- in daily in the premises of the collectorate at the district headquarter Pauri to press its demands. The previous work boycott and the present indefinite strike by the employees belonging to the association have left the official work in the collectorate and in all the tehsils of the district paralyzed.
The collectorate employees have handed over the keys of their respective shelves to the administrative officer.
The association's Pauri district unit president Vikram Singh Rawat, general secretary Jaspal Singh Rawat and vice president Umesh Nautiyal claimed that the official work in the collectorate as well as in all the tehsils in the district has remained stalled with all the employees striking work as part of the movement. They further warned that the indefinite strike would continue till the demands are met in full. The stir might intensify in the coming days if things remain the same, they said.
The State Government has not fulfilled their demands despite being consistently raised for the past three years. Despite the written assurance given to the association on 12 July 2011 and 11 August 2014, the relevant G.O is yet to be issued, they said. The association had taken the drastic decision of indefinite strike under compulsion due to the indifferent attitude towards their demands, they added.
The main demands of the association include government order be issued on the decision taken by the State Cabinet of 14 December 2013 clearing the decks for 10 percent promotion of collectorate ministerial employees in the post of Nayab Tehsildar through direct recruitment, G.O be issued for the reorganisation of the collectorate and G.O be issued on the recommendation of the committee headed by Kumaon Commissioner that the educational qualification of the collectorate employees should be graduation. The association warned that if the G.Os on these demands are not issued the indefinite strike will continue and the stir will further be intensified.