Shillong, Nov 6: The GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK EMRI) has ruled out the possibility of 100 per cent enhancement of salary to the employees, who are staging an indefinite hunger strike.

As on Wednesday, 11 employees have been hospitalized, and many of them are getting weak. Some of them even refused to be taken to hospital.

According to the minutes of the meeting convened by Health Minister AL Hek on November 4 with the GVK EMRI, the company said that escalation averaging about 3.7% given to GVK EMRI Meghalaya for the year 2017and 2018 is coming to about 7%, and the proposed escalation of 2019 submitted to the government is pending for approval.

The meeting discussed about the eight-point of demands put forth by the agitating GVK EMRI employees.

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“(Based on this) it is not possible to give 100% with an average of 3.7% yearly escalation. However the organisation offered 10% hike in salary with effect from April 1, 2019 inspite of receiving accumulative 7% hike during 2017 and 2018,” it said.

The GVK also said that the salary has to be aligned to funds availability for financial feasibility of the project.

“However, as a special gesture, the management has already announced a hike of 10% in salary although only about 7% cumulative funds have been received from the government since 2017,” the minutes of the meeting said.

It also stated about assessment of performance of 2016 and this hike has been disbursed to field employees in October 2017 with arrear from April 1, 2017.

On leave policy, the management said leaves cannot be granted to all at the same time, but given on a priority based on the circumstances of the reason for leave.

Stating that leave is not a right but a privilege, the GVK said that each employee gets 15 privilege leave and 12 exigency leaves in a financial year.

Regarding safety of women employees, the GVK EMRI said that all women field employees are given safe and secure accommodations in their places of posting and no complain has been received about this.

In as far as absorption for existing workers is concerned, the GVK EMRI said that if it decided to terminate its contract with the state government, the existing workers would be retained in new such kind of service, and the government may decide on the same.

Meanwhile, it has also requested the health minister to appeal to the agitating employees to call off their protest.