the goan I network
PANAJI
Deputy Chief Minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Ajgaonkar who holds the tourism portfolio has served a seven-day deadline to striking lifeguards of Drishti to rejoin duties and has warned they will lose their jobs if they don’t.
“We had agreed to settle all demands made by striking lifeguards, but to absorb them as government servants is not possible,” Ajgaonkar said in a statement, adding that it doesn’t fit in any of the government’s recruitment rules.
The Deputy Chief Minister said, the striking lifeguards persistent demand to be absorbed as government is unjustified and not in his hands.
“The rules for recruitment of government employees are different and it is difficult to make changes. Drishti is a private company which employs Goans as well as lifeguards from other States. Once the
rule is altered, it will be applicable to all,” Ajgaonkar’s statement added.
Ajgaonkar said if done for the lifeguards, it will set a precedent and workers of all government contractors including those engaged by the contractor executing the Zuari bridge will stake claim to government jobs similarly.
“It is our duty to save lives of tourists and also of our own people who frequent beaches. If the striking lifeguards do not join duty then the company will be forced to make arrangements for new employees and the government will have to accept it,” Ajgaonkar said.
He said, Drishti has already started training and recruiting new lifeguards but will be convinced to take back all the striking lifeguards sacked by them.
In a separate statement, Drishti said it has recruited 19 new lifeguards of which 16 were Goans.
The agency issued the statement after their striking lifeguards claimed that non-Goans were being appointed by the agency.
“Lifesaving training is underway for a team of 19 lifeguards and lifeguard captains. Sixteen of them hail from parts of Goa,” the Drishti press release said.
Several of Drishti’s lifeguards have struck work for several weeks now after their salaries went unpaid following a dispute between the agency and the tourism department.
Drishti meanwhile softened its stance saying it is willing to continue employment of most of the lifeguards who stayed away from work.
