A black flag fluttering in front of the HMI. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, Aug 11:Normality was restored at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute today after the employees decided to withdraw their ceasework.

Rumbles of discontentment, however, continue to reverberate with staff members demanding that the defence personnel on deputation be withdrawn from the institution within a fortnight.

Employees wore black badges and put up black flags to announce their decision to withdraw the ceasework ?under protest?.

Members of the Hill Employees? Association offered khadas to Mahindra Pradhan, the personal assistant (PA) of the principal, as he entered his office this morning. J.S. Dhillon, the principal of the institution had locked the PA?s office before he left for Delhi on August 6. The incident had triggered a protest drive with employees deciding to resort to a ceasework.

The impasse ended after a marathon meeting of over four hours at the district magistrate office on Wednesday. The demands of the employees, which included among others that the personal assistant must be allowed to enter his office without any condition, were fulfilled.

A deputy magistrate was present when the office was opened ?as per the demand of the unions?. B.P. Chhetri, the general secretary of the HEA (central committee) said a 15- day deadline has been set for the withdrawal of defence personnel on deputation, after which the next course of action would be decided.

Dhillon said the withdrawal of the deputed staff depended on the decision of the government.

?However, even the work culture of the institution needs to be seriously reviewed by the government,? Dhillon said. The principal maintained that after he joined as institution about 10 months ago, the number of trainees had jumped from 754 to 2003 within a year.

?Even the revenue generated in a year has increased from Rs 36 lakh to Rs 64 lakh,? he added.

Trouble erupted after the HMI officials started an inquiry alleging that certain information were being leaked out from the institution to ?unauthorised persons?.

This was after the HEA central committee wrote to the defence minister and chief minister demanding that the withdrawal of military personnel on deputation to the institute be included in the agenda of the executive committee meeting of the HMI held in Calcutta recently.