EB civic union starts agitation

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 6: After coming to power in the English Bazaar Municipality, the Congress, BJP Party and Trinamul Congress councillors are facing a deadlock, owing to an agitation launched by the CPI-M backed employees’ union and their leaders yesterday. The CPI-M backed employees’ union of the EBM initated an agitation for an indefinite period, starting today, to protest against the cancellation order issued against the appointment of 73 casual staff.The local CPI-M leaders, who have an upperhand in this movement, have even circulated leaflets after losing the post of the EBM’s chairman, owing to a no-confidence motion called by the then Opposition. It was learnt that the outgoing chairman, Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, had issued the appointment order for 73 casual staffs, who had been working in the conservancy, water and electricity departments for a long time. The appointment, however, was cancelled yesterday by the new chairman, Mr Narendra Nath Tiwari. At noon today, the casual workers, led by the leaders of the employees’ union, organised a protest against the new chairman’s decision. Mr Tewari informed that he had sought clarification from the executive officer regarding the appointment of these workers, and had found out that the decision had been taken without the resolution of the board of councillors’ meeting, and this was the primary reason behind the cancellation of the appointments. The new chairman clarified: “We will appoint them later, after a resolution is adopted by the BOC. There is no need to fear about the retrenchment of their services.” The CPI-M leaders and councillors, on the other hand, said that the long pending decision had been executed after being adopted by the civic board following a government order. Mrs Sutapa Das Ghosh, CPI-M councillor and former vice-chairman, said: “On the basis of the government order that we received a few days ago, we executed the proposed pending appointment of 73 casual workers of the EBM. There is no question of illegality”. CPI-M leaders, Mr Indrajit Mitra and Mr Ashok Bhattacharjee stated: “Without taking an oath how could the new chairman cancel the order of the former chairman?” Mr Ajit Kumar Saha, executive officer of the EBM, said: “ The appointment order issued by the former chairman was not valid as per the Municipal Act.” Congress MLA and former Trinamul Congress chairman of EBM, Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, said: “Being a caretaker chairman, he cannot issue appointments pertaining casual workers”.