Govt employees' protest continues

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Government employees unsatisfied with the recently-announced pay hike continued their protest against the hike today as well.

As the protest entered the fourth day, police rounded up 156 agitated employees from the Finance Ministry premises and about the same number of employees from the southern gate of Singha Durbar. However, the employee organisations behind the protest said police held as many as 400 employees. According to police, all the arrested were freed later.

The staffers have been demanding a salary hike of Rs 5,000 and dearness allowance hike of Rs 3,000 for each employee, regardless of their rank.

They have sought allowance for the employee working in remote areas, housing allowance and health insurance, apart from free education for their children. The protesters decided to boycott the government-enforced dress code, claiming discrimination in dress allowance. “We have decided not to adhere to the code as drivers and office assistants are getting only Rs 5,000,” said Krishna Bhandari, chairman of the Karmachari Milan Kendra. According to Bhandari, the pay hike is unacceptable as a low-ranking employee gets the actual increment of around two thousand rupees, while a high-ranking staffer gets a hike amounting to Rs 7,000.

Journos barred

KATHMANDU: Police personnel deployed at the southern gate of Singha Durbar denied entry to the journalists, assigned to cover the protest, up to 1:30 pm, citing orders from high above. Demanding that they be allowed to get in, the mediapersons staged a sit-in.