COTA sets Dec 15 deadline for 7th Pay
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03 2019:
The Council of Teachers' Association (COTA) has threatened to launch different modes of intense agitation if due process to implement the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in toto is not initiated by December 15.Notably, COTA comprises of the All Manipur Elementary School Teachers' Association, All Manipur Secondary School Teachers' Association and All Manipur Government Higher Secondary Lecturers Welfare Association.
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, COTA convenor Ch Shantakumar said that a general body meeting would be held on December 16 if their demand is not fulfilled by December 15 to decide the course of agitation.
Different modes of agitation such as sit-in-protest, relay hunger strike, courting mass arrest and fast unto death would be launched from December 17, Shantakumar said.
If there are no positive response from the Government even after staging these modes of agitation, COTA would take a decision to stay away from all examinations starting from elementary level to higher secondary level, said the convenor.
He said that they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on August 8 this year demanding implementation of the 7th Pay in toto.
This was followed by several reminders apart from seeking an appointment with the Chief Minister but there was no response.
In addition to implementation of the 7th Pay, the Government must rectify the Revision of Pay (ROP) 2019 for school teachers.
ROP 2019 has pushed down school teachers to the lowest level and even implementation of 7th Pay would not be able to correct this injustice, Shantakumar said.
ROP is done every 10 years by the Government taking into account the inflation rate.
If the Government is saying that the ROP applied 10 years back should be applied today also, then it is unacceptable to the COTA, the convenor added.