Williamnagar (Meghalaya) , July 15: A conglomeration of NGOs from the town of Williamnagar in East Garo Hills (EGH) today undertook a poster campaign to raise the demand of fulfillment of various vacancies in the Civil Hospital as well as seeking more women police officers for the district.
The NGOs, including the GSU, FAF and FKJGP have threatened to intensify their agitation if their demand for fulfillment of posts is not worked on.
Earlier the NGOs had written to the chief minister, Conrad Sangma, highlighting the fact that the lack of specialized people has been hitting the district hard and had to be filled up quickly.
The NGOs, through their poster campaign today pitched for non transfer of doctors before a replacement is announced. The agitation started after the psychiatrist and an eye specialist posted in the Civil Hospital were transferred without any replacement doctors being announced to relieve them.
Further the NGOs demanded for the filling up of the vacancy to the post of sonographer as the hospital has been without one for quite some time.
“We are absolutely against the transfer of personnel without a replacement being announced. These kinds of transfers are affecting the quality of life in our district and cannot be allowed. We demand that they be replaced with immediate effect,” said Saljrang Tengrik Marak, the president of GSU – Williamnagar.
The NGO also highlighted the massive shortage of women police officers in the district and asked for more personnel to be posted to the district.
“Currently there are only 2 police officers (SI Rank) and the burden of work being pushed on to them is inhuman. It is impossible for these two officers to manage women related cases for the entire district especially with crimes against women being on the rise. The situation has to change and we request you to address the situation at the earliest,” said the NGOs through a memo to the CM earlier today, July 15.
Asking the state government to take their complaint seriously, the NGOs have promised to continue their agitation until the government addresses the issues raised by them.