‘Ad hoc teachers’ suspend proposed hunger strike

Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 26 (EMN): Following the assurance from the department to file an interlocutory application for modification of the court’s interim order through the director of School Education, Wonthungo Tsopoe, the All Nagaland Ad hoc Teachers’ Group (ANATG) has suspended its proposed indefinite hunger strike on June 27 ‘for the moment.’

Informing this to Eastern Mirror, ANATG spokesperson Bendang Ozukum said the assurance came after a meeting with the director and other officials which lasted more than two hours.

ANATG had earlier appealed to the government and the department for redress to file an interlocutory application (IA) before the court immediately for modification of court’s interim order to regularise the 1166 grade-III ad hoc teachers.

Besides the assurance to file an interlocutory application, Ozukum said the department has also offered to enhance the scale of pay of the agitating teachers. However, he said the members have not decided anything on the offer of scale of pay offered by the department.

In the light of this development, he said the members have decided to suspend its proposed hunger strike which was to begin on June 27. At the same time, he acknowledged the move made by the director.

Meanwhile, Ozukum also informed that it has called for a meeting with the general members of the group wherein a final decison on whether its sit-in protest will continue besides other agendas will be arrived at.

The sit-in protest of the ANATG demanding regularisation of their service has entered the seventh day.