Irked by the lack of response from the state minister of power to its demands, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) Friday intensified its agitation by resorting to pelting stones at the office of the chief engineer (power), AG colony Kohima.
Around 200 odd NSF volunteers gathered at the CE’s office premises on the third day of the federation’s demonstration against “backdoor appointments” in the power department, shouting slogans like “We want justice”, “Don’t be scared to stand up for our rights” etc. Police personnel deployed at the office premises had to call reinforcement as the crowd got heated up in view that neither the department’s minister or commissioner and secretary had responded to their demand.
Irate student volunteers began pelting stones at the office building at around 11 a.m., but were shortly calmed down by leaders of the federation. Although few window panes of the office were broken in the process, no major damage had been reported.
It was learnt that minister for power Y. Doshehe Sema, who is out of station and reported to reach Kohima on Thursday, will be arriving the state capital on Friday only.
Commissioner & secretary for power department L. Kire turned up at the CE’s office in the afternoon and held a meeting with NSF officials and leaders of federating units. Kire assured them that the government would be doing whatever was required to deliver justice.
During the meeting, the commissioner & secretary expressed regret that things could not progress even after preliminary meeting between the NSF and officials of CE (power) due to lack of authority from the latter’s office.
While admitting that there had been “some perceived delay” on the part of the government, Kire however assured the NSF that authorization of posts to the NPSC for requisition was in progress. He also pointed out that only the minister who is in-charge of the department had the legal authority to issue the “final authorization” on the matter.
Further, Kire stated that once posts which were supposed to go to the NPSC were formalized, service rules would be implemented strictly both “in letter and in spirit”.
Expressing his inability to give any written word without the minister, Kire said he would arrange a meeting for the minister and NSF leaders by Saturday. He asserted that written assurance by himself and the minister would be provided to the NSF, and urged the student leaders to reason with the volunteers not to resort to damaging public property. Kire also informed that the state chief minister Neiphiu Rio expressed deep concern over the issue and had conveyed that the issue should be resolved immediately.
Meanwhile, acknowledging the commissioner & secretary’s verbal assurance, NSF president Kelhouneizo Yhome reiterated that the NSF wanted a written assurance from the minister that the issue would be redressed. He explained that the federation started its picketing of the CE’s office with “good intention”, adding though after two days of peaceful demonstration, students got agitated as there had been no response from the government. While assuring the commissioner & secretary that NSF leaders would try to control the volunteers as they waited for the minister’s response, he said things could go “from bad to worse” if the issue was not solved immediately.
Student leaders said Friday’s incident was a display of disappointment by students over the responsible authority’s ignorant attitude towards their demand. They said the NSF raised the issue backed with “hard facts” and expressed displeasure that the “concerned authority” did not have the “courtesy” to acknowledge their genuine demand.
Meanwhile, it was informed that NSF would suspend its agitation for the next two days given that Saturday and Sunday are holidays. However, NSF officials said they would resume the stir on Monday if there were no developments on the issue.
APEN appeals
Expressing concern over the picketing of chief Engineer’s (Power) office which has entered the third day, the Association of Power Engineers Nagaland (APEN) has appealed to the government and the NSF to resolve the issue without further delay. In a press statement Khose Sale president and Moa Aier general secretary APEN stated that paralyzing the functioning of the head office has affected the control and monitoring of the services across the state.
Power deptt. concedes
The state power department has said it would requisition all posts which were temporarily filled up on contract or adhoc and falling within the preview of NPSC in consonance with the Nagaland Engineering Service Rules, 2006. In a communiqué to the NSF, the commissioner & secretary to state government L. Kire said all such posts which were filled up owing to manpower shortage and due to the demand of various subordinate service associations not requisition to NPSC till their representations were disposed off, stood cancelled on expiry of the period for which appointment have been made or till posts are filled up through NPSC, whichever was earlier. In the light of the above, the power department has requested the NSF to call off agitation in the interest of public service.
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