Sambalpur: Sambalpur University Employees Union has strongly condemned the state government's move to appoint employees through the Staff Selection Board (SSB) saying it would violate the autonomy of the university.

The state government, in a circular on April 11, had approved appointment on 41 non-teaching posts of the university and said the appointment would be made through the SSB. The union leaders said this was for the first time that the government was intervening in the appointment procedure of the university since its inception in 1967.

Usually, appointments are made by the vice-chancellor through open advertisements.

The union leaders alleged that 43 persons had been working on contractual basis for the past 20 years in the university. By this process of appointment through SSB, they would be deprived of getting permanent jobs.

The union leaders on Friday met vice-chancellor Deepak Behera and presented a memorandum containing a seven-point charter of demands, including providing permanent jobs to the contractual employees, implementation of 7th pay commission and filling of vacancies.

If the authorities do not consider their demands, they would resort to seize-work agitation from April 16, a union leader said.

Body retrieved

The body of a man, aged around 40, was retrieved from near a water-body in Dihabalrampur village in Sadar police limits of Kendrapara district. The deceased is yet to be identified. The body has been sent for post mortem. Investigation is on to ascertain the cause of death, police said