Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 10: Thousands of NHM employees including employees from Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), J&K State AIDS Control Society and other schemes of National Health Mission continued their strike on 22nd day across the State, today.
The protests by the employees were held not only at Press Club Jammu but also in front of the office of Mission Director, NHM J&K, Dr Mohan Singh and also in Kathua district. Similar protests were also held in Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh. The NHM employees are demanding regularization of their jobs and social security benefits.
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Addressing a press conference here this morning, chief spokesperson, Joint Action Coordination Committee of NHM Union, Jammu Division, Faizan A Tramboo, informed the media that Government of J&K is forcing them to take aggressive measures by not conceding their genuine demands.
He strongly condemned the brutal lathi-charge on NHM employees. “More than 100 NHM employees were beaten up mercilessly including females and its shame on the part of State Government that instead of listening to our grievances, the Government used police force on them”, he said, adding, these repressive measures by the Government would not demoralize them and they will continue their struggle for fulfillment of their long pending genuine demands.
Provincial president, Rohit Seth, said that use of police against the workforce is no solution to the long imminent issue as it would only lead to turbulence in the State. He urged upon the Government to address their genuine demands on priority.
Meanwhile, employees of NHM held a protest demonstration against the State Government and burnt the effigy of Health Minister, Bali Bhagat in front of DC Office here. The protesting employees reached at DC Office in shape of a rally from District Hospital Kathua led by its district president, Pardeep Singh. They said that the Health Minister is cheating the NHM employees and is giving false statement to deceive them on permanent basis by saying that the file has been sent to Finance Department.
Later, in the evening, a meeting was held between representatives of NHM Employees Union and Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Dr Pawan Kotwal, at Civil Secretariat, but no solution came out of the meeting, as representatives of NHM Employees’ Union stressed on written assurance on regularization, the issue on which the Dr Kotwal expressed inability. The meeting was also attended by NHM Mission Director, J&K, Dr Mohan Singh.
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