SRINAGAR: Employees’ Joint Action Committee (EJAC) , held a startling convention at Hotel New Park, Boulevard, Srinagar. The event was chaired by Chairman EJAC Fayaz Ahmad Shabnum and attended by veteran leaders of the organisation.
The meeting was particularly called to discuss and deliver upon the pathetic and ambivalent miseries suffered silently by the lower rung employees working as good as bonded labours without speaking a word as they have been asked to remain lip-locked and put in monocles, their hands cuffed, their feet fettered and their necks yoked. They have been meted with the worst kind of treatment ever noticed in any government service.
Actually the problem is graver as could be reported in any human language and no jargoned vocabulary; no verbiage can make it explicit to comprehend. The department of Health and Medical Education is run by gimmickry rather than reason and justice. People are hired, contracted and engaged rather appointing on substantive posts. Health and family welfare is the worst hit as the lot has to work as sweepers, helpers and other associated jobs; they are usually looked down upon as the social stigma goes without reason and logic here in this part of the world. They are paid “peanuts”, that is to say some are paid Rs-30/-, some 100/- while some others 500/- per month. This is sheer exploitation and inhuman practice.
There has been much ruckus regarding the matter but that has only proven to be a faux pas in the long run as only paper work has been done and nothing concrete on ground zero has been registered in resolving the issue.
A good number of instances are there when some politicians, bureaucrats, social workers have made some communication here and there but to no avail. Even once it was projected that there is a clear-cut recruitment policy regarding these mute sufferers that 50% of people shall be appointed through direct recruitment and 50% from department shall be absorbed neatly on seniority basis but till date it is just a dream.
There has been no Time-Bound Promotions since times immemorial now and no Departmental Promotion Committee has been constituted for the same age.
Most ironic is that there are some employees at the directorate of Health and Medical Education Kashmir who have never been transferred. They are there right from their appointment till their retirement. This is definitely a reason for red-tapism, nepotism and favouritism. There will be a sea of change once the transfer policy is executed in letter and spirit and the whole staff must be reshuffled forthwith to revamp the department.

KR Desk