Employees strike sees no end after 43 days of stir

Imphal, June 1 (UNI) The stir of the Manipur government employees entered the 43rd day today.

The employees in the essential services joined the strike causing great hardship to the people.

The Joint Administrative Council (JAC) of All Manipur Government Employees' Organisation and All Manipur Trade Union Congress (AMTUC) had launched an indefinite cease-work strike demanding hike in pay and rectification of pay anomalies.

The JAC has also demanded the retirement age be fixed at 60 rather than 58 along with the demand to regularise adhoc employees.

The JAC announced that it will not hold talks with the government until three of their leaders were released. Three office bearers had been arrested earlier.

The government hospitals were not admitting any patients and the private hospitals were crowded due to the stir. The Public Health Engineering department responsible for providing water had stopped supply of water to the people for the last four days causing great hardships. The JAC said in the interest of the people water supply will resume today.

The Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had earlier informed that the government had conceded almost all the demands of the employees.

The employees were demanding 71 per cent DA enjoyed by the central government employees, while they were given 59 per cent, the Chief Minister said.

If the state government concedes to the demand of the employees an additional Rs 6.90 crores will be incurred every month, he added.

Rectification of pay anomaly will be carried out, he assured as demanded by the employees.

Meanwhile, the government has announced that the pulse polio immunisation programme will be carried out on June four. The PPI programme was affected due to the strike by the employees.

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