Lehragaga engineering institute staff protest retrenchment notices

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, October 9

Around 100 employees of the Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology (BHSBIET), Lehragaga, who have been served a one-month retrenchment notice by the member-secretary, board of governors of the institute, started an indefinite protest today outside the institute. They were joined by NGOs, farmer organisations and members of political parties.

The protesters are demanding the withdrawal of notices, release of 43 months’ pending salaries and re-opening of the institute for students. “We have received retrenchment notices without any valid reason. The protest will continue till our demands are accepted,” the employees said.

Jagdev Singh Kaleka, Principal and Member-Secretary of the Board of Governors of the institute, confirmed that retrenchment notices had been served to all 100 employees after a meeting was held on September 20. “Their services will end on October 31, but the government authorities are considering to adjust them in other institutions,” he said.

SAD (Sanyukt) leader Parminder Singh Dhindsa said, “This is happening in the home district of CM Bhagwant Mann, so what can we expect in other areas.”

“Various governments have failed to take care of this college. But now the government has decided to retrench the employees and it’s unacceptable. We will not allow the retrenchment and closure of this college,” said Dharminder Pashore of BKU (Ugrahan).