Date:15/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/15/stories/2007091560820600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Teachers plan indefinite fast from October 2

HYDERABAD: Members of the Joint Action Committee of Teachers’ Organisations will launch an indefinite fast from October 2 to pressure the Government to ensure that orders for uniform service rules for teachers are issued immediately.

JACTO leaders -- N. Narayana, P. Venkata Reddy, A. Lakshman and Shaik Zilani -- at a press conference here on Friday, said that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy should take the initiative to get the Presidential orders amended so that the uniform service rules would come into effect.

They said the file was sent to the Union Home Ministry sometime ago, but the State Government had failed to take follow-up action on the issue. The Chief Minister should speak with Central officials concerned and see that the orders were issued at the earliest.

The leaders feared that if the orders were not issued before Dasara, the counselling for teachers’ transfer would be delayed indefinitely. They regretted that despite repeated pleas and meetings, the Government had failed to redress the long-pending grievance of the teaching community. The unions had no other option but to undertake ‘fast unto death’, from October 2, they stated.