NHM staff strike: 6 sacked

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 25

The state government has terminated the services of six office bearers of the National Health Mission (NHM) Employees’ Association for going on strike and instigating others.

The association had given a call for an indefinite strike throughout the state from today to press for their demands, including regularisation of services.

The officials whose services have been terminated today are Surender Gautam, president of the National Health Mission Employees’ Association; Atul Gijwani, secretary; Vijay Kamboj, vice-president; Tarandeep Singh, Pushkar Dahiya and Vikram Soni, office bearers.

The orders issued by the Mission Director of the NHM in the name of all civil surgeons of the state also clarified that since the NHM was a mission run under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there was no regular sanctioned post for it and appointments were need based and made on contract basis.

“In view of the prevailing season of malaria, dengue, chikunguya and other vector-borne diseases, the competent authority in public interest has decided to take a strict disciplinary action against the contractual employees of the NHM who are on strike,” the orders said.

The Mission Director has also quoted relevant portion of the service agreement of the NHM officials, which said their employment was purely contractual in nature and was to come to an end automatically on March 31, 2017.

Earlier, after their failure of talks with the Mission Director on October 13, the association had given a call for an indefinite strike from today.

“We will not be cowed down by the action and intensify our agitation further,” said Gijwani.

“On September 2, a committee constituted by the MD had recommended policy for regularisation of our services. However, nothing has been done on this issue after the committee’s report,” he said.

Health Minister Anil Vij said the government was going to lodge an FIR against them.