Employees can escalate trouble for Govt on this salary day
JCC to meet on April 26; strikes, protest may come back
Ajmer Alam Wani
JAMMU:A circular issued by the Finance Department instead of giving some relief to the government is likely to foment more trouble again but this time it could be in a big way as this will the time during which the all official records of the government have to be shifted to Srinagar with Darbar move and opened there.
Leaders of the different employees unions are in constant touch and strategies are being made to counter the government circular according to which salaries of the employees are to be deducted for the period they observed strike. The final touch to the course of action to be adopted will be taken on April 26 when leaders of the JCC will meet at Srinagar and decide how to carry forward the struggle for their demands.
It is believed that in response to the new circular of the state government either the trouble could erupt again in a big way or the government will get some sort of relief from the strikes to which employees resort to press for their demands. Relevant to mention here that the circular has created a fear of insecurity and fear among some employees and they fear that if in future they resort to the strikes, they may get deducted salaries which may.
The new circular of the government issued by the Finance Department has clearly mentioned that those employees who have observed strike during the recent agitation and deserted the offices and not attended their duties will not be given salaries of the strike period. Now it is believed that when the salaries will be disbursed either the trouble could erupt again and employees could resort to the strikes once more or this circular could make an impact and fear among the employees of loosing their salaries for observing strikes. Worth mentioning here that the employees have been demanding the release of arrears prescribed by the Sixth Pay Commission and enhancement of the retirement age from 58 to 60.
When asked employees Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) leader Abdul Qayoom Wani said that a meeting of the different employees’ union leaders will be held on April 26 at Srinagar where a protest will be held and such government policies will be strongly condemned. He added that employees will further resort to the strikes and agitation as he accused government of backtracking from the promises it made with the employees.
He said that government has befooled the employees several promises where made with the employees on which the strikes were called off. HE said that deducting the salary of employees for the period of strike will be against the rights of employees, as he mentioned that observing strikes for their genuine demands is the democratic right of employees, and now government is trying to suppress the employees in every way, he said.
J&K Medical Employees United Front, President Popinder Singh expressed hope that the government will not implement the circular issued by the finance department so he believes that the salary of the employees will not be deducted for the period they observed the strike. He added that the circular was issued by the government at the time when it was under pressure due to the complete strike by the employees, but now it seems that this will not be implemented, however, he said that if the circular is implemented and salaries are deducted, the employees will resort to the strike again if the call if given by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC).
Another senior JCC leader, Khursheed Alam said that the employees had suspended their strike of the appeal of Chief Minister (CM) Omar Abdullah and it was assured that the procedure to settle the employees issues will be initiated immediately but the government has adopted suppressive measures which are not good for the employees. He lamented that the government is thinking that ‘it has won a battle against the employees’ but such tactics will go against the employees.
He added that “There are some people in the bureaucracy who do not want congenial atmosphere between the employees and the government. “They want problems to remain there so their role and value increases. He further added that in the meeting scheduled on April 26, it will be decided how to fight for the demands and how to counter the suppressive measures and anti employees polices of the government.
Relevant to mention here that the circular reads as “The General Administration Department vide circular No.GAD/Genl/62/2010 dated 07/04/2010 has observed that some of the government employees after making their attendance either leave their offices any proper permission or even while remaining available do not actually attend to their assigned work responsibility. Since the government has evoked Essential Services (Maintenance) Ordinance Samvat 2001, read with SRO-1 dated the 12th January 2000 and also enforced the principle of ‘no work no pay with effect from the 5th April 2010, such of the employees who do not discharge their official work responsibility thereafter shall be treated to be absent from duty and the principle for no work, no pay, shall apply in his/her case as well.
In view of the above, all the Treasury Officers are directed that from April 2010 onwards following certificate should be invariably obtained from the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officer while entertaining salary bills of the government employees in the treasuries. “Certified that all the employees billed for in the Salary Bill for have attended the offices during these days and performed their assigned work responsibility. In the event if it is found that any of the employees have not actually attended the offices and has not performed the assigned work, I shall be personally responsible and held liable to disciplinary action. Including recovery of wages/salary paid but not due, for the same.” Strict disciplinary action shall be taken against such of the Treasury Officers as are found to have not obtained the said certificate while entertaining any salary bill presented by the Drawing and disbursing Officer.
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