Absent after transfer? GTA threatens sack

TT; VIVEK CHHETRI  Darjeeling, Nov. 5: The GTA has threatened to terminate the services of workers who have not joined work after being transferred by the hill body, allegedly to places far from their homes. Many of the employees had alleged that they had been “victimised” by the Morcha for supporting the GNLF. Today, Binay Tamang, an executive council member of the GTA Sabha, said: “Many workers have not joined work after being transferred. We will issue a showcause notice to them shortly and if they fail to come up with a satisfactory answer, we will terminate their services.”

 Tamang warning came at an event to mark the foundation of the Janmukti Asthayi Karmachari Sangathan. Sources said around 400 workers have been transferred since GTA was formed. “The previous dispensation (DGHC) had made recruitments according to their whims and fancies. We have noticed that many departments, such as parks and gardens, are overstaffed but there are many (other) important places such as hospitals, which have fewer hands than required. This is one of the reasons for the transfers,” Tamang said. “We wanted a complete overhaul of the system to ensure that people with abilities are given due credit.

 The third reason for the transfer is that many of the workers would hardly report to office and were always on the look out (for excuses) to skip work.” Although the number of employees who have not joined work after being transferred could not be known, GNLF leaders said the figure was anything between 70 and 100. Man Hang Subba, the GNLF village committee chief of Rock Garden-Barbotey, said: “We believe around 70 to 100 workers have not joined work to protest the transfer orders. In my village, around 23 workers have not joined work and I am told that there are many others from Darjeeling, Kurseong and Mirik who have not reported for work. There are also a few in Kalimpong who have protested the decision.”

 Subba alleged that the transfer had nothing to do with improving work culture but was only an attempt to target GNLF supporters. “The party has decided to convene a meeting soon and we will chart out our future course of action after discussions,” said Subba. Sources said most workers had been transferred to far-off places and commuting daily was difficult. Some of the transferred employees who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was difficult to maintain two households with the salary given by the GTA. The hill body pays anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000 to its employees each month.