Veterinary doctors went on a casual leave en masse across the district on Wednesday pressing for implementation of a Government Order that promised them promotional opportunities.
Over 50 veterinary doctors affiliated to Tamil Nadu Veterinary Officers Association and Tamil Nadu Veterinary Assistant Surgeons Association abstained from work in all the dispensaries, hospitals, polyclinic, cattle breeding and fodder development unit.
District secretary of the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons Association, S. Palanisamy, said that the Department of Animal Husbandry was the only department where the vets who join as veterinary assistant surgeon retire in the same post even after three decades.
“It was the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa initiated a dynamic advancement of career programme in our department through a Government Order 49,” he said.
Based on the GO, the veterinary assistant surgeons get a promotional opportunity after every eight years — like veterinary surgeon, senior veterinary surgeon and chief veterinary surgeon.
“After the GO was issued, a major organisational restructure was carried out for all the over 2,000 vets and we are transferred and posted according to our service. Over 80% of the physical work for the promotion has been completed,” Dr. Palanisamy said.
However, when it came to fix the revised pay, certain anomalies crept in and all of the sudden, the Government order to keep the implementation of the GO in abeyance.
“The Government should strive to rectify the anomalies, instead of stopping the implementation of the GO and our strike is only to draw the attention of the Government,” he said.
