Kohima | July 22 : The Department of Power, Government of Nagaland, has acceded to the demands of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and has officially stated that the department “shall requisition” all posts which were “temporarily filled up on contract or adhoc and falling within the purview of NPSC in consonance with the Nagaland Engineering Service Rules, 2006.”
A copy of a brief letter addressed to the President of the NSF from Commissioner & Secretary L Kire stated – “All such posts which were filled up owning to manpower shortage and due to the demand of various subordinate services associations not to requisition to NPSC till their representations were disposed off, stands cancelled on expiry of the period for which appointments have been made or till posts are filled up through NPSC, whichever is earlier.”
In consideration of this action, the department has requested the NSF to call off the agitation. However when contacted, NSF officials said they have not yet received any written assurances from the government. At the time of filing this report the NSF had also not received the letter issued by the Commissioner and Secretary Power Department.
NSF turns up heat on Power Dept, Minister
The decision of the government comes following day three of the protest with the NSF turning up the heat on the Power Department and the concern Minister. Unable to withstand the silence of the State Government in meeting the demand of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) to cancel alleged backdoor appointments in the Power department, the third day of the NSF’s agitation saw students damaging windowpanes of the office of the Chief Engineer for Power in Kohima. Around 500 students’ volunteers gathered at the office complex singing, “We shall overcome” and shouting slogans before commencing to pelt stones at the CE office this morning.
The situation got aggravated when more students’ volunteers from various colleges joined, stationed in two places (one at the Agriculture office, above CE Office) and began pelting stones and damaging windows. The NSF, along with tribal unit leaders and students, are on agitation since July 20 picketing the office demanding immediate cancellation of those ‘unlawful’ appointments. A representation to the state’s chief secretary demanded that the state government strictly adhere to the 60 percent vacancies for open recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). Any direct recruitment or ‘departmental promotion’ must be through prescribed norms, it had demanded.
The district administration and police were also present at the scene to control the agitators who retorted back saying they are not against the administration. Commissioner & Secretary to the Chief Minister Abei Kire who arrived later in the afternoon had a joint sitting with the NSF officials and unit representatives.
Requesting more time to go through the issue in detail Kire said he is new to the department and appealed for patience until the return of the Minister in concern ‘who can decide and give legal decision to the demand.’
He said requisition to the NPSC for advertisement of vacant posts is in the process. He supports the demand of the federation but has no authority to give assurance in written. However, the official gave verbal assurance that he would intimate the NSF by tonight or tomorrow ‘once the concerned Minister returns from Delhi.’
A senior member of the NSF, Kapani expressed resentment at the Power Minister saying wherever the minister may be, since he is in touch with the department officials, should respond accordingly. “It is high time that he should be here and he knows his guilt and mistakes where because of him all of us are suffering, this is not fair on the part of the minister,” said Kapani.
“Instead of telling the students to have control, it will be better if the department solve the issue at the earliest”, said a student leader.
The NSF is to have an emergency presidential council meeting on July 23, which was earlier scheduled for 25, in the NSF conference Hall from 3.00 pm. All the presidents of the federating units and subordinate bodies are asked to attend the meeting without fail. Yhome said the current agitation is the beginning to rooting out all anomalies in all the government departments.
A copy of a brief letter addressed to the President of the NSF from Commissioner & Secretary L Kire stated – “All such posts which were filled up owning to manpower shortage and due to the demand of various subordinate services associations not to requisition to NPSC till their representations were disposed off, stands cancelled on expiry of the period for which appointments have been made or till posts are filled up through NPSC, whichever is earlier.”
In consideration of this action, the department has requested the NSF to call off the agitation. However when contacted, NSF officials said they have not yet received any written assurances from the government. At the time of filing this report the NSF had also not received the letter issued by the Commissioner and Secretary Power Department.
NSF turns up heat on Power Dept, Minister
The decision of the government comes following day three of the protest with the NSF turning up the heat on the Power Department and the concern Minister. Unable to withstand the silence of the State Government in meeting the demand of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) to cancel alleged backdoor appointments in the Power department, the third day of the NSF’s agitation saw students damaging windowpanes of the office of the Chief Engineer for Power in Kohima. Around 500 students’ volunteers gathered at the office complex singing, “We shall overcome” and shouting slogans before commencing to pelt stones at the CE office this morning.
The situation got aggravated when more students’ volunteers from various colleges joined, stationed in two places (one at the Agriculture office, above CE Office) and began pelting stones and damaging windows. The NSF, along with tribal unit leaders and students, are on agitation since July 20 picketing the office demanding immediate cancellation of those ‘unlawful’ appointments. A representation to the state’s chief secretary demanded that the state government strictly adhere to the 60 percent vacancies for open recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). Any direct recruitment or ‘departmental promotion’ must be through prescribed norms, it had demanded.
The district administration and police were also present at the scene to control the agitators who retorted back saying they are not against the administration. Commissioner & Secretary to the Chief Minister Abei Kire who arrived later in the afternoon had a joint sitting with the NSF officials and unit representatives.
Requesting more time to go through the issue in detail Kire said he is new to the department and appealed for patience until the return of the Minister in concern ‘who can decide and give legal decision to the demand.’
He said requisition to the NPSC for advertisement of vacant posts is in the process. He supports the demand of the federation but has no authority to give assurance in written. However, the official gave verbal assurance that he would intimate the NSF by tonight or tomorrow ‘once the concerned Minister returns from Delhi.’
A senior member of the NSF, Kapani expressed resentment at the Power Minister saying wherever the minister may be, since he is in touch with the department officials, should respond accordingly. “It is high time that he should be here and he knows his guilt and mistakes where because of him all of us are suffering, this is not fair on the part of the minister,” said Kapani.
“Instead of telling the students to have control, it will be better if the department solve the issue at the earliest”, said a student leader.
The NSF is to have an emergency presidential council meeting on July 23, which was earlier scheduled for 25, in the NSF conference Hall from 3.00 pm. All the presidents of the federating units and subordinate bodies are asked to attend the meeting without fail. Yhome said the current agitation is the beginning to rooting out all anomalies in all the government departments.
