Hill Professors body wants GTA to solve their problems

SNS, DARJEELING, 22 SEPTEMBER 21 : The Hill college unit of the West Bengal College & University Professors' Association (WBCUPA) in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts today submitted a memorandum to the Principal Secretary of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), highlighting the various problems they have been facing.

In a press release, WBCUPA president Dr Dorjay Lama, said a delegation of the Hill unit of the WBCUPA met AR Bardhan, the Principal Secretary of the GTA and submitted a memorandum highlighting their long-standing demands and problems.

"We apprised him of the problems faced by the staff of the nine hill colleges after they came under the purview of the GTA," Dr Lama said.

According to the press release, the problems include non-receipt of arrears of ROPA 2019 from 1 January, 2020 to 31 May 2020 in respect of both teaching and nonteaching staff, salary arrears of SACT, M Phil and PhD benefits, non-inclusion of staff in the West Bengal Health Scheme and the inordinate delay of the CAS and tenure based promotional scheme due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The need for involvement of the department of Higher Education for the allocation of budget under a separate head routed through the Home and Hill Affairs department to the GTA was once again put forward and a request to expedite the formation of such a structure was also reiterated," said Dr Lama.

The release further said that they acknowledged the intervention of the Chief Minister in resolving these issues after a memorandum was submitted to her by the state president of the WBCUPA in June 2021.

"A road map for solution to some of these problems, specially the arrear issue, is gradually emerging after the Special Secretary, Hill and Home Affairs Department, has taken up the matter with the GTA," said Dr Lama.

"The delegation has requested the Principal Secretary to expedite this matter so that a speedy resolution may be brought about. He has assured us support from his end," He said adding that they also thanked the GTA for the successful inclusion and implementation of the HRMS for the staff of these nine colleges which had been a long standing demand.