Activists of Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAFF) staged a demonstration at Tourist Lodge compound, Dimapur on Friday and served 30-day ultimatum to department of Tourism demanding that anomalous appointments of class-III staff and tourist officers (TO) in the department should be cancelled.
Addressing media persons, president, NPRAAF, Wedieu Kronu, claimed that, according to an RTI reply to NPRAAF by the department of Tourism, there were 17 TOs against the sanctioned strength of 12 posts.
Alleging that backdoor appointments and premature promotions of three employees resulted in the excess of five TOs, Kronu demanded cancellation of the promotion orders and suggested measures to bring down the number of TOs to the sanctioned 12 posts. NPRAAF also demanded appointment of TO in Kiphire. Forum general secretary, Hito Swu said that they were not against any individual, but was fighting in the interest of tens of thousands of educated unemployed youths in Nagaland.
In the ultimatum addressed to director, department of Tourism, NPRAAF has also demanded cancellation of promotion orders in order to minimize the excess number of TOs; immediate posting of separate TO in Kiphire; post of TO held by one employee be declared vacant and requisitioned to the NPSC; cancellation of absorption service of one TO along with the post of PRO; cancellation of one backdoor appointment and cancellation of absorption service of two employees by sending them back to their parent departments.
The forum has also planned a phase-wise manner of democratic protests and agitations to bring the issue of all irregular and anomalous appointments in the Department to a logical conclusion.
Further, NPRAAF warned that after the expiry of 30 days, it would have no option but to resort to the planned agitation and added that any situation arising out of such protests, the department would be solely held responsible.