Tribal dept staff plan stir against senior official

NASHIK, OCT 14: The Adivasi Vikas Vibhag Karmachari Sanghatana, representing the staff of the Tribal Development Department, has decided ...

NASHIK, OCT 14: The Adivasi Vikas Vibhag Karmachari Sanghatana, representing the staff of the Tribal Development Department, has decided to take out a morcha to Mantralaya on October 30 to demand the suspension of additional tribal development commissioner Amitabh Joshi.

According to Vikram Gaikwad, general secretary of the Sanghatana, Joshi had set bad precedents in appointments and transfers. He said that the union had given an ultimatum to the government to take action before October 29, failing which a morcha would be taken out on October 30 in Mumbai.

Gaikwad said that the Sanghatana is demanding Joshi’s suspension, cancellation of all "illegal" appointments and transfers made by him in the Tribal Development Department and action against the former deputy commissioner S B Hingonekar.

He alleged that Joshi had appointed J L Suryavanshi as the office superintendent despite the fact that Suryavanshi had been suspended in the past for allegedly committing irregularities. He further said that Joshi hadinitiated mass transfers of staff without any appropriate reason. Joshi was not available for comment as he was on leave.