Govt adopts selective approach in revocation of NHM employees’ termination

Court issues notice to State, seeks reply in 2 weeks
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, May 3: Questioning the selective approach of the State to deal with NHM employees, High Court today issued a notice to the State with the direction to furnish information about any uniform policy framed to deal with the revocation of termination orders of NHM employees.
The directions has been issued in a petition filed by NHM employees namely Rohit Seth, Shabnam Saini, Jasmail Singh, Dr Jogesh Kumar, Dr Snober Singh and Mukesh Singh, highlighting selective approach of the State administration in revocation of termination orders of the NHM employees.
After hearing Advocate ND Qazi for petitioners, the High Court issued notice to the State which was accepted by Senior AAG HA Siddiqui.
“Senior AAG is granted two-weeks time to file objections, indicating clearly as to whether the respondents have any uniform policy to deal with the NHM employees, who came to be terminated by their respective District Societies for remaining un-authorizedly absent in connection with the strike”, High Court observed.
“It has been brought to the notice of the Court that three of the Societies i.e. District Health Societies Samba, Leh and Kupwara have already recalled the order of termination issued to the NHM employees in their jurisdiction. This aspect also needs to be clarified and dealt with by the respondents by filing reply”, the High Court said.
Pertinent to mention here that a total of 407 NHM employees were terminated by the Governor administration in ending February as despite repeated warning and notices issued to them, they failed to resume their duties. Out of total 407 terminated employees, 21 were from Kashmir, 14 from Ladakh and 372 from Jammu province.
Out of the 372 terminated employees of Jammu province, 6 were from Jammu district, 11 from Samba, 14 from Kathua, 9 from Rajouri, 8 from Poonch, 65 from Reasi, 6 from Udhampur, 51 from Doda and 202 from Kishtwar.
However, while revoking termination orders of NHM employees, the authorities adopted selective approach. While the termination orders of NHM employees belonging to Kashmir, Ladakh and Samba district were revoked after two weeks (before enforcement of Model Code of Conduct in the State), termination orders of employees from Kishtwar district were revoked on April 26 (during Model Code of Conduct) whereas 361 employees belonging to Jammu province are still running from pillar to post to get their termination orders revoked.
“We are hurt with the selective approach of the Government. First, they terminated the employees who were on strike demanding their rights and then adopted selected approach in revoking their termination orders. The Government should adopt same policy for all the employees,” said president of NHM Employees’ Association, Jammu province, Rohit Seth.
He said in last about 50 days, they met everybody from Mission Director to Chief Secretary of the State but they showed no interest in their repeated pleas which forced them to knock the door of the High Court.