PANJIM: The Goa government Tuesday reinstated on a contract basis 28 patient care attendants, who were protesting after their services were terminated by the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), Bambolim.
Herald has supported them through their struggle and has constantly reported on their pain and struggles as they sat on a 40-day dharna at Azad Maidan, Panjim, going without food and even water on many days.
After almost 40 days, the government reviewed and decided to reinstate them for a period of one year with immediate effect until further orders. They were protesting at the Azad Maidan, Panjim after their services were terminated on April 14, following the expiry of the contract.
These workers many of whom had been working on a contract basis for the past several years had appealed to the government to regularise their services.
All the protesting contractor workers thanked the State government for reinstating them.
The case revolves around the government terminating their services and advertising the post of “psychiatric patient caretaker”.
According to the petition filed in court by the terminated IPHB workers in the High Court of Bombay at Goa, 83 per cent of candidates from Sattari taluka were selected as psychiatric patient caretakers, while the long time workers, who worked tirelessly during the peak COVID period, were without a job.
They sought relief that the government be directed to conduct a written test afresh for recruitment to the post of psychiatry patient caretaker and to draw a fresh select list in accordance with the law.
The protestors had also argued that the selection and appointment of new psychiatry patient caretakers were contrary to the mandate of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India. According to them, the government issued an offer of appointment to selected candidates on February 12 and the same evening posted the offer of appointment to them.
