Govt employees hold protest to oppose Dope Test and Professional Tax

Ferozepur, July 10, 2018:  The DC Employees Union led by Manohar Lal, District President and Pippal Singh, General Secretary, on a call given by the State Committee, today protested over imposing of Dope Test and Professional Tax with a hope to put a check on drug abuse to eliminate drug menace from Punjab and putting economy back on rails. 

Later on, they burn in effigy of the Punjab Government to register their protest various other demands – reviving of the old pension scheme for staff recruited after 1.1.2004, issuing of three outstanding balances of DA.

The government has already made it clear that government employees who are found positive in the dope test to be conducted on them would not be punished or sacked but would be provided treatment and the identity of employees testing positive will also be kept confidential.  The decision has been taken for mandatory dope testing as the state grapples with rampant drug abuse.

The union leaders of the view that dope testing should not be made mandatory.  They also accused the state government of targeting them rather it should be mandatory for all those who draw the salary from the same treasury like us.  It was indirectly an indication towards the MLAs.

So far as imposing of Professional Tax is concerned, they said, the government has failed to maintain the economy of the state and come up with another Professional Tax.

Speaking to media persons, they said, in case the legitimate demands of employees are not considered immediately, the agitation will be further made stronger.

They further said, a gate rally has also been organized in front of the DC office on July 18 to announce the further course of action.