CUTTACK: With the workers unrest at the Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNirtar) showing no signs of abatement, the district administration on Thursday intervened in a bid to break the impasse.
Staff and employees, who have been on total ceasework since Monday, yesterday launched a hunger strike but were persuaded by the administration to withdraw on the assurances of taking up their cause at the Union Ministry of Health and Social Justice level. Collector KK Mohanty has called a meeting with the institute authorities and representatives of the striking staff over their problems on March 28.
With situation at the sole rehabilitation institution of the State going from bad to worse as the outdoor and indoor service as well as the canteen and supplies came to a standstill and the latest hunger strike decision compounding problems, the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) rushed SubCollector JP Das to the institute at Olatpur today. Das met the striking employees and the authorities sans the Director, who is on medical leave, to discuss the issues.
"On our persuasion and promise of the administration's intervention, the employees withdrew hunger strike and have announced to resume services in the wards and canteen," Das said.
Over 250 employees, particularly in the vital sections like paramedics, nurses, pharmacists, technicians, attendants and ward staff are on strike over demands of provisioning pension as per the bylaw of the institute formed after the Centre took over the Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corporation and accorded it with the status of the Nirtar. An agreement was signed between the Government of India and the employees at the time of the takeover which is not being respected, Nirtar Employees Union general secretary Chitta Ranjan Mohanty complained.
The employees have also raised voice against the disinclination of the Government to revise their pay as per the stipulated pay scale. "While counterparts across other Niratars in the country get a much higher scale, we have been neglected. The Hospital Patient Care allowance given to employees of all Central Government Health Institutes has been arbitrarily discontinued for SVNirtar since February last year," Mohanty said.