Arunachal: Union claims majority of illegally appointed WC employees hail from Keyi Panyor district

Allegations of irregular appointments have sparked outrage within the All Arunachal Pradesh Public Health Engineering & Water Supply Department Workers Union (AAPPHE &WSDWU). The union has accused the department of appointing 17 regularized work-charged (WC) employees illegally, with the majority hailing from Keyi Panyor district.

Members of the AAPPHE&WSDWU convened at the PHE&WS office on Thursday to voice their concerns directly to the authorities. Tadar Dawa, president of AAPPHE & WSDWU, addressed the gathered laborers, highlighting the plight of old PHE&WS workers from Keyi Panyor who have allegedly been overlooked due to these unauthorized appointments.

Dawa emphasized that many longstanding casual laborers, some with over two decades of service, were bypassed in favor of recently appointed WC employees, some of whom were transferred to Keyi Panyor from other districts. He asserted that these actions were politically motivated, alleging that even individuals such as anganwadi workers and panchayat leaders were among the beneficiaries of these irregular appointments.

Expressing their dissatisfaction, Dawa declared that unless their demands are met, all PHE&WS department workers across the state would cease water supply operations from May 13. Their demands include the cancellation of illegal appointments and subsequent arrests, urging the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) to initiate an immediate inquiry.

Joining the chorus of dissent, Takam Tanik, president of the All Arunachal Pradesh Workers’ Union’s Keyi Panyor district unit, warned of further protests. Tanik asserted that if the appointment orders of the illegitimate workers are not rescinded promptly, workers in Keyi Panyor would stage a dharna and disrupt water supply. He called upon student unions and youth groups to rally behind their cause, preserving the integrity of their district from the stain of corruption.

In a bid to intensify their stance, the AAPPHE & WSDWU announced plans to stage a statewide dharna starting May 13, should the state government fail to address their grievances regarding the controversial appointments.