**Cuttack/Soro:** With a six-point charter of demands, Fire Services personnel launched an indefinite cease-work stir from today across the State till fulfillment.
They have also written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik regarding their non-cooperation in Government work till their concerns are addressed. The letter is written on behalf of firemen, Havildars and others working under control of D.G. of Fire Service, Home Guards, and Civil Defence of the State.
The demands stated in the letter are as follows:
1: Provide equal pay, status and allowances at par with the Odisha Police Havildars and Constables.
2: Immediate recognition of “Havildars and Firemen Association” by the State Government.
3: Regularisation of contractual workers in the Fire Department. Along with that, the posting of these contractual workers should be in home district or nearby districts.
4: Retired Fire Services personnel should get pension and retirement benefits with immediate effect.
5: The working duration of Fire Services personnel should be limited to 8 hours like officials in other departments and an in advance duty-list should be prepared and intimated to the Fire Department on time.
6: Employment drive to fill the vacant spots in Odisha Fire Services.
“Request to consider the matter judiciously for the interest of about 5000 firemen and Havildars engaged in 341 different fire stations of Odisha. We have been recruited as per Police Manual Rule and we are the back bone of Home Department but we are working amidst mental depression and repeated humiliation,” states the letter.
The Fire Services personnel have also alleged in the letter that despite several requests made to the OSD-cum-Special Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister, none of their demands have been considered yet. Thus, they have been forced to call a strike for indefinite non cooperation in government work from today.
Meanwhile, Fire Services personnel across the State have stopped work and have staged peaceful demonstration in their uniforms inside their respective station premises.
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