Staff stir from tomorrow in Mizoram

Aizawl, Oct 5 (UNI) Two service associations under the Mizoram government-- Mizoram Ministerial Service Association (MMSA) and Mizoram Secretariat Service Association (MSSA) threatened to launch an indefinite ''mass-casual-leave'' strike from tomorrow.

The agitation of the associations, claiming to have altogether 6,000 members in support, is likely to cripple the government works.

''As the state government has turned its deaf ear to our long-standing demands till today, we from lower division clerk to secretary have decided to observe mass-casual-leave indefinitely from Monday,'' a joint statement of the associations said today.

The grievance of the employees is not about pay, but about duty posts, the statement added.

''When the government creates high posts, it neglects creation of lower ministerial and secretariat posts. This results in posting of lower grade employees in rural areas without any entitlement of house rents. We demand the government to solve this problem,'' the statement further informed.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Zoramthanga has promised in black and white to meet the demands for the rectification in their pay anomalies.

Leaders of nine agitating employees' associations awaited the CM in front of his bungalow as the latter returned from a tour.

''The chief minister promised us in written to rectify our pay anomalies on Friday night,'' Mr J Ramdinmawia, secretary of the Joint Committee on Pay Parity Demand, said.

''Our demands had already been considered by an expert committee on pay, so we have high hope for realisation. Our only fear is the election code of conducts come on the way, as Mizoram is going to the polls very shortly,'' Mr Ramdinmawia added.

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