Workers at PAG office on indefinite strike

Work in the office of the principal accountant general (PAG) was affected with the talks among the employees and top officials over revocation of suspension of 11 employees remaining inconclusive on Monday. The employees in the PAG office have resorted to indefinite strike,protesting against the alleged highhandedness of the officials in enforcing discipline. The 11 employees were suspended on Saturday following ruckus within the office premises on Friday last week over the alleged highhandedness of senior officials in enforcing discipline among the former. Police force was deployed in large numbers to keep a vigil on the situation.

Anil Das,vice-president of Civil Accounts Brotherhood,an employees’ union,said that the talks with the deputy accountant general (DAG) P K Tiwari remained inconclusive. “He gave us an assurance that the matter would be looked into. But no decision was taken on revocation of suspension,” said Das.

Earlier,a delegation of the agitating employees met the PAG,Mukesh P Singh,during the day. “He listened to the grievances of the employees and assured that the matter would be looked into,” said an official,speaking on condition of anonymity.

On Friday,the employees had staged protests against Tiwari when he was on a round to check the presence of the employees in the post-lunch session. The protest began after Tiwari allegedly used strong words against a few employees,who were protesting against the strict norms being enforced within the office premises. With things going out of control,the officials also called up the police and got a police complaint lodged against protesting employees. The matter was resolved only after Singh intervened.

The employees were promised that their grievances would be taken up in a meeting on Monday.