Ludhiana: “We have always been ready for dialogue with the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) vice-chancellor. In fact, more than five meetings between representatives of union and committee authorised by the university authorities have taken place, but none of the demands has been fulfilled so far,” said Baldev Singh Walia, president of the employees’ union. The teaching, non-teaching and class IV employees of the (PAU) have been protesting in the campus since October 13.
Walia said the union members submitted the demand charter to the authorities in May and written many letters to the VC and the registrar before starting the protest. They had given an ultimatum to resolve the issues before October 6, but authorities never responded, not even bothered to call them for any meeting, he added.
Now even after a long protest of about one and a half months, authorities are stating that they want to resolve demands by dialogue, said Walia. He also said the statement issued by the registrar regarding the status of the demands, contradicts itself. For isntance, Walia pointed out that they are demanding implementation of old pension scheme for employees appointed up to July 9, 2012, the registrar stated that implementation of NPS has been made according to government instructions. But Walia said it has already been approved in principle by the board of management in 2017, only implementation of the same is still pending.
Regarding the demand of promotion of clerks to the post of senior assistant, Walia said Punjab government has issued clear instructions that all the clerks having experience of four years are to be promoted to the post of senior assistant, these instructions are adopted by the PAU, but are not being implemented, as 64 posts of senior assistants are lying vacant and clerks having more than 11 years of experience are still not getting promoted.
“Registrar has said they have created 10 posts of agriculture field officers (AFO) to promote agriculture sub-inspector (ASI), but the fact is that none of the ASI has been promoted as AFO, till date,” he added.
Walia alleged that the Punjab government has reduced the period of experience of different categories a few months ago, but the university is not implementing the instructions of the government. “Government has clarified that clerks and stenos are having basic requirement qualification of bachelors therefore, they are being paid minimum wages as per DC/ labour rates admissible to category B, but in PAU they are being paid wages of category C.”
Walia further said according to the registrar, nobody fulfils the criteria for promotion to the post of JE (civil), but, according to him, the university should advertise the post and if anybody fulfils the criteria he may be promoted. Walia said the Punjab government has also issued a letter to count probation period experience of employees towards regular service but the university is not implementing the same.
According to Walia, if demands are not met soon, they will intensify the agitation.