Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 01 2009:
As the amount for payment of their salary had not been earmarked in the budget, teachers working under the Autonomous District Councils of the hill districts have resolved not only to boycott the Lok Sabha election to the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency on April 16 but also to stay away from election duty.
Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, a reliable source said that after the aggrieved teachers made their stand clear to the district administrative on boycotting the election if their pending salaries were not paid, the respective Deputy Commissioners of the districts have communicated the matter to the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of the State.
In the letter send to the CEO by the Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong district who is also the Additional Returning Officer of the election, it was mentioned that as there was no provision in the budget for payment of salary to them, the District Council teachers have not been receiving their salary since November last year.
So aggrieved teachers have threatened to boycott the election and stay away from election duty if the pending salary were not cleared by April 5 .
The memorandum submitted by the District Council Teachers Association in connection with denial of their salary has also been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister, the source informed, adding that the Chief Electoral Officer has written to the Principal Secretary (Hills) today to take up necessary actions to release the pending salaries of the District Council teachers so as to prevent any unnecessary stand off in view of the ensuing Lok Sabha election.
Furthermore, the CEO has asked the action taken report in this regard be intimated to the Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong district as well.