Tura, July 4: The NEHU Tura Campus Staff Welfare Association has suspended its agitation after receiving assurances from the university’s Vice Chancellor and Pro Vice Chancellor, but warned that the protest would resume if the promises are not fulfilled.

The decision followed a video conference meeting with the university authorities on July 1, during which the staff said they were assured that their long-pending service-related grievances would be addressed.

In a letter to the Vice Chancellor, the association said it had decided to suspend the agitation with immediate effect based on the assurances given by the university administration.

However, it stressed that the suspension was only temporary and that the agitation would be reviewed if the authorities failed to act on their commitments within a reasonable timeframe.

The association also appealed to the university administration not to initiate any disciplinary or punitive action against employees who participated in the protest.

The agitation, launched last month, centred on a series of pending service-related issues, including implementation of DoPT orders, review of promotions and demotions, gratuity benefits, EPF registration for eligible workers and timely payment of salaries to casual employees.

Copies of the letter were forwarded to the Pro Vice Chancellor of NEHU Tura Campus, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Heads of Departments and Sections, and student bodies, including the Post Graduate Students’ Union (POSU) and the Garo Students’ Union (GSU).

While calling off the protest for now, the association made it clear that its future course of action would depend on how the university responds to its demands.