Chhattisgarh govt orders disciplinary action against striking employees

The Chhattisgarh government has ordered disciplinary action against employees and officers who are on indefinite strike since last week to press for their demand of a 34 percent dearness allowance (DA) and a hike in house rent allowance (HRA), an official said on Tuesday. The state general administration department had on Monday issued a directive to collectors and heads of departments to take action as per the circular of the department issued on April 10, 2006, the government public relations officer said.

The circular states that if employees go on mass leave without prior approval or stage strike, salaries will not be payable for the period of their absence from office and that period will be treated as ''break-in-service'', he said.

The state government employees and officers went on an indefinite strike on August 22.

The federation of state government officers and employees had staged a five-day strike from July 25 to July 29 demanding a hike in DA and HRA.

The state government on August 16 announced a 6 percent hike in the DA, taking it to 28 percent.

However, unsatisfied with the decision, the state employees and officials went on an indefinite strike on August 22 seeking 34 percent DA and HRA as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

However, some of them disassociated themselves from the strike.

The state government on Monday said in a statement that employees who were on strike from July 25 to July 29 but did not join the strike that began on August 22 will be given salary for the period they were on agitation last month.

However, disciplinary action must be taken against employees who went on strike last month and again on August 22, it said.