Revenue Department staff plan hunger strike

KOCHI: In protest against the transfer of 120 officials in the Revenue Department, the Kerala Revenue Department Staff Association will launch an indefinite hunger strike. They will also demand the withdrawal of transfer order at the earliest.“Such a transfer is the first of its kind. Many of us are transferred to far off places. We will continue our agitation until our demands are met,” said G Motilal, Kerala Revenue Department Staff Association president.“The move is part of a conspiracy hatched by the NGO Association of the Congress and the NGO Front of the Kerala Congress (M). The turn of events happened all of a sudden and were based on monetary benefits,” he said. “Existing criteria were not met with while issuing the transfer order. The District Collector who has the power to issue a transfer order has not signed it so far. On the contrary, it was the Deputy Collector who issued the order which is very unlikely,” Motilal said. Humanitarian considerations and compassionate grounds were also not taken into account, he said.