Want local workers to get jobs in sanitary, security departments

Dharan, May 3 :

Leaders of the eight political parties in Sunsari district have demanded that the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) introduce a system whereby the workers here can get sanitary and security jobs.

They have threatened to call a strike if the BPKIHS authorities fail to meet their demand and annul the sanitary and security job contract system, which has been awarded to the Kathmandu-based Mountain Security Pvt Ltd for a long time.

The leaders have given a four-day ultimatum to the BPKIHS to annul the contract system even as a meeting between representatives of the eight parties and the BPKIHS administration held here today ended inconclusively.

The workers in the security and sanitation departments have been protesting since the past few days after the BPKIHS floated a new tender for sanitation and security personnel. When the BPKIHS paid no heed to the workers’ demands, the workers roped in the political parties.

“Vice-chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Purna Chandra Karmacharya paid no heed to the workers’ demands during the meeting,” said Madan Dhakal, Nepali Congress Dharan municipal president who was also present in the meeting.

Dr Karmacharya left his office room as he knew that political parties were against the contract system, saying, “I alone can do nothing regarding this issue.”

“I alone cannot change the system. For this, the institute’s statue should be amended,” said Dr Karmacharya.

Bhaktesher Rai, president of the Unified Revolutionary Jana Parisad (Sunsari), warned of joining the workers’ protest if the demands were ignored.

Nepali Congress (Democratic) Dharan municipal president Kishor Rai said: “There is no alternative to protests against the VC.”