Secretariat Seemandhra employees, who had been organising various protest programmes for the last 22 days against the Congress decision to divide the State, will go on an indefinite strike from September 2 at midnight.
The Forum representatives, who served a notice on the Chief Secretary here on Wednesday, with the demand for review of the Congress’ unilateral decision to bifurcate the State said that they were intensifying their agitation as the government had not responded to their earlier representations and protest programmes.
Later, speaking to media persons, Forum Chairman U. Murali Krishna said that in the next 10 days, they would continue their peaceful protest programmes.
On Thursday, the employees will participate in the blood donation camp being organised by MNJ Cancer Hospital, which will mainly cater to poor patients.
Responding to a query that the High Court had taken a serious view of the APNGOs’ strike, Mr. Murali Krishna said that the employees service conditions, pensions of retired employees, financial status, and future of their families would be direly affected if the Centre divided the State and deprived Seemandhra region of Hyderabad, which had emerged as the main revenue earner for the State and as the hub of education, employment and health care for people of all regions.
In their representation to the Chief Secretary, the Forum said that they were compelled to go on indefinite strike as the government stated that a Cabinet note was being prepared to deal with procedural issues around formation of the new State in spite of stiff opposition from the people of 13 districts in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema to the division of the State.
D. Murali Mohan, co-chairman, said that the Sri Krishna Committee, which submitted its report on the issue of bifurcation by talking to people at the grassroots in the three regions, should be first discussed in the Assembly and Parliament.
Apart from the State bifurcation issue, the employees demanded 45 per cent interim relief as new PRC scales were due from July 1, 2013 and a comprehensive cashless health scheme.
