Govt employees on second phase of mass-CL-strike

Aizawl, July 11 (UNI) Government employees here today went on the second phase of their mass-casual-leave agitation till July 13.

They would go for another such strike from July 17 to 20 if their demands were not fulfilled.

Sources said the agitating employees, which comprise of all non-technical staff, had a meeting with the leaders of the Mizoram Engineers Service Association yesterday but the outcome was yet unknown.

The strikers had been demanding for pay parity with that of the engineers, whose pay scale was hiked recently as per the Supreme Court's direction, sources said.

Apart from the government offices, all the government schools remained closed.

Meanwhile, public outcry is mounting against the continuous agitations of the government employees, who were enjoying high salaries and eating up about 70 per cent of the state's budget.

However, People's Right to Information and Development Implementing Society, along with Zoram Kuthnathawktu Pawl (farmers' assoiation) and Mizoram Cultivators, have condemned the agitation.

The Zoramthanga Cabinet is still tightlipped over the issue.

UNI