GUWAHATI, Sept 13 � A standoff between a number of employees and management representatives of Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI) today resulted in tense moments following which police were called in.
Police and security personnel had to physically remove some of the agitating employees from the 104 office premises at Bamunimaidam around noon and maintained a presence thereafter.
The situation that developed today emerged from the HMRI management�s decision to lay off 90 employees in its Sanjeevani programme which provides village health outreach services.
Employees who were asked to submit their resignations resented that they were told about it at the last hour, and were asked to resign citing personal reasons. However, the real reason behind the move, according to them, was lack of funds. Mosaddique Rahman, among those asked to resign, said, �How can we resign on personal grounds � it is the management that has asked us to resign.�
Another employee, Rimpi Dey, serving in Dhemaji felt frustrated by the suddenness of her termination notice.
Others who were laid off maintained that the way they were selected for termination was not at all transparent. They believe that there was no appraisal done to check the competency of workers.
When contacted, the Chief Operating Officer of HMRI Assam Operations, Atul Singh, told The Assam Tribune that 90 employees were asked to resign, but all were served with notices in accordance with the work contract. He cited three reasons for the decision to let go of the employees, among which was cost cutting as it involved public money. A number of employees were also found to be incompetent. Others were asked to resign for values in behavior.
A press note from HMRI mentioned, �HMRI being the employers of the staff members whose services are no longer required will be giving 15 days� notice period/ 15 days pay in lieu of the notice period as per their appointment terms and conditions and will be undertaking the full and final settlement of the affected staff members.�
The employees who have been asked to resign handed over a memorandum to the District Administration in the evening, and plan to go for protest action at Dispur tomorrow.
