Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11, 2010:
Consequent upon the Joint Administrative Council�s (JAC) cease-work strike, job-seekers, particularly those aspiring for the 22 posts available at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) have been facing severe hardships in obtaining necessary documents as the Directorate of Employment Office located at Lamphelpat has been closed.
Irritated by the inconveniences caused to them, the job-seekers who came to collect requisite documents were engaged in a heated argument with JAC representatives at about 12.20 pm today.
Supporting the cease-work strike called by the JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO, employees of different departments have ceased their official duties.
Likewise, staff of Employment Directorate closed the main gate of their office and staged a protest within their office complex today.
In the meantime, hundreds of job-seekers, particularly those aspiring to compete for the 22 posts available at JNIMS came to collect/renew employment cards since 10.30 am.
Anguished on finding the Directorate staff staging a protest demonstration instead of doing their duties, the job-seekers started hurling abuses at the protesters at about 12.20 pm.
Soon some staff of the Directorate called some JAC functionaries and made them talk to the irritated crowd.
This only resulted in heated exchange of words between the two sides.
As the situation became more tense, the JAC functionaries left the place hurriedly.
The job-seekers also turned back dejected.
The job-seekers coming to collect documents accused the directorate staff of being impartial.
�If they are on strike, they should do it uniformly.
But they were issuing documents stealthily to those known or related to them�, the job-seekers alleged.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of the closure of the Directorate following the cease-work strike, some individuals opened a cyber cafe in a nearby hotel and provided online registration service at the rate of Rs 40 per registration.