The locked directorate of industries office at Lamphelpat in Manipur. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Jan. 2: Striking Manipur employees today locked the doors of almost all the government offices across the state after chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh expressed his inability to implement the recommendations of the sixth Pay Commission.

About 60,000 employees have been protesting since November 6 demanding payment fixed by the commission.

The employees, under the banner of the Joint Administrative Council of various unions, went on strike from November 27, paralysing the functioning of government departments.

Addressing the 123rd foundation day of the Indian National Congress on December 29 here, Ibobi Singh categorically said his government was not in a position to implement a pay hike. The chief minister said his government would not be able to pay the employees regularly if the pay was hiked.

In response, the employees today locked the main gates and rooms, including that of directors, in various offices in Imphal and other districts.

Some of the directors had to break open the doors to enter their offices. “I arrived at the office at 10.30am. But my room was locked. Those who locked the rooms also put some hard substances inside the padlocks so that they could not be opened using keys,” an official at the state social welfare department said.

Attendance of the employees was taken on pieces of paper outside the offices.

The locked offices include the directorate of industries, directorate of information and public relations, treasury office, social welfare department, Command Area Development Authority, Planning and Development Authority and taxation.

Sources in the Joint Administrative Council said the offices in other districts, including those in the five hill districts, were also locked.

Rejecting Ibobi Singh’s claim that the current financial position was not conducive to a pay hike, a senior leader of the JAC said the increase would not put a burden on the government. “At present the government spends Rs 90 crore per month. If the pay hike is implemented, the government will have to spend an additional Rs 20 crore,” he said.

Extending support to the demand for implementation of the Pay Commission’s recommendations, the Manipur State Pensioners’ Union launched a relay hunger strike at Kongba Bazar in Imphal East. “We launched the hunger strike demanding payment of the pensioners’ pending dearness allowance and benefits according to the 6th Pay Commission recommendations,” the secretary of the union, Ksh. Maipak Singh, said.