Former GGEA president John Nazareth on a sit-in protest at Azad Maidan, on Tuesday, over inaction against IPHB staff recruitment. Giving him company on the first day was former GGEA general secretary Ganesh Chodankar. Captured by : Manuel Vaz
PANAJI/OLD GOA
Former Goa Government Employees Association (GGEA) president John Nazareth began a sit-in protest at Azad Maidan, from Tuesday, over the inaction against the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) staff he alleges had produced fake certificates to get recruited.
Stating that his protest will continue till the staff is suspended and inquiry initiated into his recruitment, Nazareth has given a deadline of a week for the probe to begin failing which he would file a complaint with the Vigilance Department against IPHB director for dereliction of duty.
And on the first day of the sit-in protest, which was held for one hour, Nazareth was accompanied by former GGEA general secretary Ganesh Chodankar.
Nazareth said that his complaints to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Chief Secretary Puneet Goel alleging that the occupational therapy technician submitted fake documents for the job has not fetched any result.
It may be recalled that Nazareth had alleged that the person was recruited as occupational therapy technician in IPHB in 2010 on the basis of a fake occupational therapy certificate as also a manipulated 15 years residential certificate.
Nazareth further alleged that the employee has no knowledge of Konkani, and since he has not faced any action so far, the employee is also allegedly tampering with evidence.
“He first joined the IPHB as a carpenter and within three years he was selected for the post of technician for occupational therapy. There was no verification of documents produced by him. Agassaim police have also not taken any action,” he lamented.
He had then given ten days time for the authorities to act. As the period got over, Nazareth began the sit-in protest as promised.
“I will continue the protest till the staff is suspended and inquiry initiated against his recruitment. I will wait for another week and if there is no probe initiated then I will file a complaint with the Vigilance Department against IPHB director for dereliction of duty,” Nazareth informed while informing that, as per SC ruling, it is the duty of the authorities to initiate probe against employees who are recruited on the basis of fake certificates.
“We have been able to get government employees sacked in the past over production of fake certificates. But I do not wonder why in this particular case the authorities are reluctant to initiate action,” Nazareth wondered.
