By Asif Iqbal Naik , Kishtwar June 4:- The people in Marwah along with student of Higher Secondary School Yardoo (Marwah) held Tahsildar Marwah Falail Singh (KAS) hostage for more than two hours when the Tehsildar visited the protesting people who are on hunger strike to put the pressure on government to depute the staff for Government Higher Secondary School Yardoo where there is only one lecturer (Persian) for nearly 700 students.
According to the report, the people of Marwah are agitating at Tehsil HQ Navapachi since last 10 days over shortage of staff in schools and demanded action against those officials who remain absent from Government offices in Marwah. The agitating people demanded for immediate appointment of lecturers and teachers in under staff schools of Marwah Tehsil. The situation is said to be tensed but under control.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Saleem Mohammad while confirming the reports of holding of Tehsildar Marwah hostage by the agitating people said that every citizen has the right of protest, but in a democratic manner and termed the incident as matter of unfortunate. He said that holding Tehsildar hostage does not help in solving the problem in any case. He said that District Administration is already on job over the issue of shortage of staff in rural areas of Kishtwar District. He said that they have already intimated the government about the problem. He said that he had personally taken up the matter with Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Director School Education Jammu and urged them to look into the matter at an earliest. He said that today a detail massage was faxed to Commissioner Secretary Education government of Jammu and Kashmir in which a request regarding filling of vacant post of Chief Education Officer Kishtwar was made so that the day to day problem pertaining to the functioning of education department could be sought out. He said that after the report of incident involving Tehsildar, he talk to Tehsildar Marwah over satellite phone in the afternoon and advice him to furnish the details of absentees officers posted in Marwah Tehsil. He said that Tehsildar Marwah has already requested the agitating people to maintain the calm. He said that after intervention of District Administration, Deputy Chief Education Officer Kishtwar in consultation with Director School Education Jammu issued order No: CEO/K/12/878 dated 28-05-2012 in which 5 teachers were posted in HSS Yardoo (Marwah) to cool down the temper of agitating students and public of Marwah in general, the direction was issued to all 5 teachers to report Principal HSS Marwah for their further duties, but no one among the said five teachers reported to Principal HSS Marwah which creates more anger among the people of Marwah.
Meanwhile Deputy CEO Kishtwar is reportedly left the station without prior permission from the office of Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar and handed over the charge to one 4th class employee posted in CEO Office Kishtwar. Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar said that he had already receive the information about the move of Deputy CEO Kishtwar and said that necessary directions has been issued to ACR Kishtwar to look into the matter. He said that instead of facing the crises situation, the officer prefer to leave the station without his intimation. He said that he will take a stern action against the absentee teachers and other employees who instead of attending their duties prefer to sit at home. Similar is the case with ZEO Marwah, who despite clear cut directions from Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar last week fails to attend his duty at Marwah and instead is hiding somewhere in Kishtwar town. DC Kishtwar in this regard has also issued the direction to Tehsildar Marwah to verify the reports regarding failure of ZEO Marwah to attend his duty.
Keeping in view of the hostile weather condition and tough terrain, on one among the educated youths is ready to do the job in the area on adhoc basis @Rs 7000/months. MLA Kishtwar Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo has already submitted the proposal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in which a demand for monthly pay of Rs. 15000/month for adhoc teachers has been demanded.
It is worthwhile to mention that there is acute shortage of teaching staff in many schools of far flung areas of Kishtwar District and on 15-5-2012, the people and students of Tagood (Chatroo) went up to the extent to stop the convoy of MLA Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori over the issue of shortage of staff in Middle school and High School Tagood.