NIM accused of preferring Nepalis to locals for jobs, woman approaches Defence Ministry & DM

Institute rejects allegations, says workers selected on basis of skills as per rules

SURENDRA PAL SINGH/Uttarkashi

The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) has been accused of various anomalies including ignoring local residents and appointing Nepali citizens on daily wage basis. Koti-Kotiyal village resident Babita Gusain has made these allegations while submitting an application to the Defence Ministry and the Uttarkashi district magistrate.

She has stated that when NIM was established in 1965, the local residents had agreed to their land being used for the institution on the condition that the locals will be provided employment in the institution. However, she has alleged that the locals are being ignored and natives of Nepal are being given work in the institution.Gusain has claimed that seven persons from Nepal have been provided regular employment at NIM along with official accommodation and other facilities, while the local villagers are being ignored. Gusain was appointed at NIM in 2012 and has alleged that a senior official pressurised her to take and bring back his child from school, along with other personal chores. She averred that when she objected to this, she received a message from the superintendent that she will not be asked to do official works.She has alleged that this is a blatant misuse of official authority and a violation of service rules. She has further stated in her letter to the ministry and the DM that the employees have submitted a 26-point memorandum to the principal regarding irregularities in the institution.

Responding to the allegations, the NIM registrar Praveen Kumar said that the allegations levelled are baseless. He said that the appointments and allocation of work in the institution is done as per the rules and requirements. Regarding the alleged priority accorded to Nepali candidates for work, he said that such candidates do the required work. The institution allocates work on the basis of available staff and the skill of the candidates, he said, while stressing that there is no partiality in the process.  Meanwhile, Gusain warned that she will demonstrate at the NIM premises along with locals if an impartial probe is not conducted into her allegations.