SDF calls 48-hour bandh to leverage 31 demands

SDF calls 48-hour bandh to leverage 31 demands

Income Tax exemption for the old settlers-one of the major demand No3.

source:Sikkim Now

BANDH TO REITERATE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT AND DEMANDS PENDING WITH CENTRE
SAGAR CHHETRI
GANGTOK: The Sikkim Democratic Front has called a 48-hour Sikkim Bandh on 04 and 05 April. The bandh will be effect from 6 AM of 04 April to 6 AM of 06 April. The party has called for all shops, offices and schools to remain closed for the two days. This has been called to press for a set of 31 demands with local protection by way of employment taking up most of the points while also included are demands pending with the Centre.
Ambulances, medicine shops, milk transport vehicles, press, Fire Department, Police, armed forces and paramilitary traffic, court and garbage vehicles and class X and XII board examination students have been exempted from the purview of the bandh.
Addressing a press conference today, SDF spokesperson, Bhim Dahal, explained that the party was compelled to take up this “strong democratic weapon” in the interest of the local people and to press for their rights and aspirations.

This step has been taken in continuation of party’s move against private industrial units in Sikkim which continue to sideline local interests while hiring personnel.
Out of the 31 demands listed to explain the need for the bandh, 28 demands relate to local employment issues, insisting that be given to local candidates in various jobs and other opportunities opening in the private and central government organisations in the State.
Mr Dahal stated that even in his two meetings with the private companies which have invested in the State, the Chief Minister had directed them to abide by the MoUs in which they have undertaken to provide priority to local people in various opportunities created in these units.
“But these units have not been working earnestly in favour of the local people even though the MoUs require them to do so. Locals are only being hired through labour contractors and are being denied their rightful dues,” he stated.
He underlined that the strike was to press for these demands because the people have been suffering for too long and the party wants to solve these problems in a peaceful way.
Vice-president, All Sikkim Democratic Labour Front, BM Ramudamu, in turn informed that on 03 February, the ASDLF had served an ultimatum to the companies which has gone unheeded, necessitating the bandh call now.
Mr Ramudamu stressed that if these companies still did not take these issues seriously, then the party would go in for even stronger steps in future.
The demands mainly seek that priority be given to local candidates even in various central departments, banks, industrial units, hydel projects, hotels, show-rooms and shopping malls in the state.
The SDF is also demanding that the services of all local employees in the private industrial units and hydel projects be regularised and that no favouritism be allowed in salaries and other benefits between local and employees from outside the State, who are reportedly receiving better emoluments in most cases for the same jobs.
The party has further demanded that the practice of using labour contractors be stopped immediately and local employees be enrolled directly with the company as regular and that employees from outside the State replaced by locals in abidance with Rule 4 (4), which incidentally extends only to government employment.
It has also demanded that the Employment Exchange (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act 1959, Labour Compensation Act and Minimum Wages be implemented in all industrial units and hydel projects in Sikkim.
The party has also demanded that employment be provided to the next of kin of employees who die in harness and that the EPF process be made more convenient by opening an EPF office in Sikkim.
It has also demanded that the tenders issued by different industrial units here be conducted in the State to provide full opportunity to local contractors, that they also establish warehouses inside the state and hire only local drivers.
The party has also demanded that every unit establish health centres and schools and offer employment only to locals in C and D categories.
Also included in the list are the demands for immediate reservation of seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in the State Assembly, tribal status for all others as well and Income Tax exemption for the old settlers.