CTAN to lock Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation office in Kohima over alleged illegal appointments

KOHIMA — The Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) has decided to ‘lock’ the office of the Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation on Tuesday, over the department’s failure to terminate the alleged illegal appointment of two staff in the rank of gazetted officer.

CTAN Convenor, Meshenlo Kath told Eastern Mirror that the two officers were ‘illegally’ appointed on contract basis and have been given contract extensions from 2016 till date. This is not a Grade-III and Grade-IV post but a gazetted officer post, that is, Junior Soil Conservator Officer (JSCO), he claimed.

He pointed out that the gazetted posts are filled through competitive examinations conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) but the duo was “appointed directly without giving examination”.

That is why CTAN has been demanding their termination since 2019, he said, adding that the association had also set a deadline for the department in March 2022, requesting the termination of their service. However, the department has not complied.

The department had informed the CTAN that the two were appointed through contract and were no more employees of the department but they are still working and running after the regularisation of their service, Kath claimed.

The department always gives verbal assurance but this time, we will not wait, he asserted.

The CTAN president informed that the association would lock the gate of the directorate office in Kohima till their demand is met and that the department is aware of its intention. The decision was taken at a meeting of all the 11 associations under CTAN, held on Monday.

“In response to the Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation’s non-compliance with CTAN’s demand to terminate the illegal JSCO appointees by March 11, 2024, the CTAN organisation declares a lockdown of the Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation. Following comprehensive deliberations, the collective decision of the house is to engage in agitation until the termination order for the two unauthorised JSCO appointees is obtained,” read the press release issued after the meeting.