SRINAGAR: Agitated over withholding of their salaries employees of the health department today locked the office of Chief Medical Officer Anantnag as a mark of protest.
The agitated employees locked the office of CMO at 10:30 in morning and raised slogans against the authorities, eyewitnesses said.
The employees were demanding release of their salaries and revocation of inquiry regarding their eligibility and genuineness of the appointment in the department. However, the CMO was not present in the office or in the office premises when the protests were going on, they added.
Our salaries have been withheld since last three months and our families are forced to fast and our childrens education is suffering. This is injustice and well observe protests till our demands are met, said Gulzar Ahmad a protesting employee.
Employees said that they were appointed by high rank officials 20 years back but are now being asked to prove genuineness of their appointment orders, adding, It is better to hold inquiries against those officials who appointed us than to suppress poor employees.
Twenty years have passed since we got appointed in health department. We served the state at the peak of volatile situation in the state but now three months back our salaries have been withheld till our credentials are verified which is unfortunate, said Bilal Ahmad who was part of protest.
Director health service has asked officers of the department to withhold our salaries till it is proved that our appointments were genuine. This is injustice. After 20 years of service we are told that our appointments are dubious which is quite humiliating, said Showkat Ahmad, a protester.
What is the fun to verify credentials of employees who have been appointed by the competent authority under their seal and signatures? Many employees got promotions in the meantime and some others attained age of superannuation. So far salaries of employees have been stalled and others are also waiting for the same fate in coming days, said Bashir Ahmad.
The employees alleged that only those hailing from the Valley are being victimized. Those who got appointed in Jammu in the same procedure are enjoying their jobs and its benefits but only the employees of Valley are being discriminated, said Aejaz, a protestor.
Confirming the locking of his office by agitating employees, CMO Anantanag Dr. Gulzar said, Yes, office was locked by some employees demanding release of their salaries. I was in meeting at that time. Now Im in my office and it has been unlocked, said the CMO.
He said that police was not informed about the act of protesters. When asked whether the demands of the employees were genuine, Authorities are in process to ascertain the facts, he replied.
Pertinently, after holding verifications, the state finance department had held appointment of around 2200 employees of the health department as doubtful. The health department had later constituted inquiry teams at district levels to submit their reports to the divisional authorities, who would in turn take a final call on the fate of the employees. (KNS)
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