DIMAPUR, MAY 22 (MExN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland today asked the Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to take cognizance of the demand for 24% salary deduction of employees under the Chief Medical Officer, Mokokchung.
A press note from the ACAUT media cell said that the CMO had this month “deducted the salaries of his employees for payment as per the demand letter of one Town Commander, Mokokchung Town, NSCN (IM)”. The alleged “demand letter” dated March 11, 2016, was also made available to the media by the ACAUT.
However, the employees under the CMO establishment including the 70 Primary Health Centres/Sub Centres in the district took out a signature campaign resolving that their salaries cannot be deducted for payment to any group.
The ACAUT alleged that “despite the emotion of the situation, the CMO was adamant that payment should be made. Left with no option, the employees resolved that the matter would be brought before the DC and FIR filed against the CMO. Facing the prospect of FIR being filed against him, the CMO finally released the deducted amount to the harassed employees on 20th May.”
It demanded that the DC and SP of Mokokchung should take suo moto cognizance of the case and “probe why the CMO was so adamant that the 24% deducted amount should be paid to the so-called Town Commander?” The ACAUT stated that the DC Mokokchung “cannot treat this matter lightly, because there is every chance of retribution from the armed cadres upon the employees; after all the CMO has washed off his hands from the matter.”
In the event this happens without the DC and SP, Mokokchung, having taken serious note of the issue, the ACAUT cautioned that the district administration and police shall be held solely responsible for any untoward incident.
The ACAUT further stressed on the issue of 24% salary deduction as demanded by the Naga Political Groups. It said that “any DDOs/HoDs deducting staff salaries would be doing so at their own risk” and that ACAUT would be forced to file FIRs against the “irresponsible officers.” It appealed to all the responsible bodies especially the youth organisations in the districts to “straightway file FIRs against any factions indulging in taxation/extortion.”
