Team Herald
PANJIM: The Patient Care Attendants of Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), Bambolim on Thursday held a protest at Azad Maidan, here, demanding job regularisation.
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Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo who visited the protest site advised the protesters to submit representation to the Chief Minister, Health Minister, Opposition Party and Dean of Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim as a request to absorb the staff on contract basis for time being if not on the regular basis.
Lobo assured the protestors that he would look into the matter by having a word with the Chief Minister regarding the said issue.
He further advised them to go through the proper channel by submitting the memorandum instead of sitting on a ‘dharna’.
Shrikant Govekar alleged saying, “People from Valpoi area who doesn’t even possess the essential qualification are regularised on the said Patient Care Attendants posts while we despite of possessing the essential qualification for almost a decade are thrown out.”
According to one of the protestors Mahadev Parab, the contract of 28 staff members was revoked by the State government with effect from April 13.
“It has been nine long years since we are serving for IPHB. Instead of regularising the old contract staff, the government has done injustice to us by recruiting the new staff on permanent basis without taking the contract staff into consideration.”
Producing a COVID-19 warrior certificate to the media persons, Gauri Jalmi lamented, “We discharged our duty by risking the life of our family during the worst Coronavirus times, for which we have even received a certification. If we weren’t capable than we would not have received this certificate,” she said.
The Opposition Leader also appealed to the government to take back the contract staff on duty on contractual basis if not on permanent basis.
Lobo said, “Serving as IPHB worker is not an easy task. To terminate services trained and well experienced workers is not only the injustice to these 28 workers but will also affect the entire system.”
“I will meet and discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and will make sure that the voice of common man is heard by the government,” he said.
Adding to this Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar said that the Congress will always stand by the staff of IPHB until justice is done to them.
