E Aurn & Tarun Kartick
Port Blair, Aug 7: Thirty two casual workers of the IP&T Department today organized a protest dharna in front of the Directorate of IP&T demanding regularization of their services in the department.
According to the sources the workers are working in the IP&T since last eighteen long years but their services have not been regularized. Today’s protest was launched against appointment of seven other junior DRMs, who are much junior to them.
“The Directorate of IP&T provided permanent employment to seven DRMs illegally based following directions from some senior officer of Administration. Out of the seven DRMs who have been given regular employment one DRM is not even an Islander and is working in the DRC Office, New Delhi,” said a protester.
The workers further alleged that all the seven employees who were regularized were juniors according to the seniority list and the senior employees were neglected by the department while regularizing the services of few selected candidates.
The thirty two casual workers of the department informed Andaman Sheekha that they will be protesting against the department everyday in front of the IP&T office from 9 AM to 5 PM until their demands are fulfilled.
The workers further informed that they have written countless letters to different authorities for the regularization of their services but their demands remain unheard.
The workers also informed Andaman Sheekha that they have spent their valuable years of their career working for the department and most of them are now not eligible to get employment in any Govt. Department because they have crossed the age bar for getting a permanent Govt. job.
The workers also met the Assistant Director , IP&T today in the morning hours and the Assistant Director informed them that all the matters regarding the regularization of the services are handled by the Secretariat and they have no power to regularize their services.
