Vet deptartment staff on protest

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 19,2017: Reports are noted that veterinary doctors, livestock inspectors and other staff of the Veterinary Services Department and members of Karnataka Veterinary Association started an indefinite stir in front of the office of the deputy director (Vet) on Thursday urging the government to implement Cadre and Recruitment (C&R) rules. All the veterinary hospitals/clinics in the district remained closed on Thursday, May 18.

In a memorandum, association president Dr G Shivananda said till date the authorities have not issued final notification to C&R rules though the department was revamped four years ago. Though a protest was staged on May 7 in this regard and the animal husbandry minister had assured to implement rules within two or three days, nothing has been done till date, he rued and added that injustice is being meted out to a number of senior doctors.

Association secretary Dr K R Ashok said there are doctors with 24 years of experience in Mangaluru itself without even a single promotion due to non-implementation of C&R rules. On the other hand, a large number of vacanices are lying vacant in several hospitals/clinics and the existing doctors have been overburdened as they have been given additional charge of other hospitals/clinics.

Despite managing the show and catering to the needs of people in the respective region, the authorities have turned a deaf ear to the woes of doctors. The representatives from all the veterinary/clinics staged a protest on the premises of Deputy Director’s office located at Jail Road here.

Around 15,000 staffes and officials have been deprived of promotions as the department has not been reconstituted. The government, which has reconstituted the Agriculture and Ayurveda Departments, has been showing step motherly attitude towards the department, another agitating member said. Though the notification in this regard was issued in 2012, it has not been implemented and the pay hike of department staff has not come to effect, he said.