A number of nurses appointed by the Nagaland government during the COVID-19 pandemic Wednesday launched an indefinite sit-in near the state civil secretariat junction here demanding regularisation of their service.

The nurses under the aegis of 'Department Recruited Aggrieved Nurse (DRAN) 2021' held placards which read "Don't use and throw us", "COVID appointed nurses cry for their rights" and "This is how you thank the COVID warriors".

DRAN 2021 president Lijamo Odyuo said in a release that the authority concerned should honour the state cabinet memo of July 5, 2020, which he claimed had stated that 50 per cent (129) posts of staff nurses will be appointed on seniority basis and the other 50 per cent through direct recruitment.

While 129 nurses were given regular appointment, an advertisement of July 16, 2020 invited the indigenous Naga nurses for interview. Thereafter 129 applicants, all DRAN members, were shortlisted and appeared for the interview. They were subsequently recruited on merit basis in different health centers of the state. But their service was not regularised, he said.

Instead the authorities issued a notification earlier this month transferring the 129 posts to Nagaland Public Service Competition for a competitive examination.

DRAN had submitted a memorandum to the government on October 20 demanding regularisation of services of those who had cleared the interview and said it will resort to agitation if it was not fulfilled and the members' pending salaries for four months were not released, Odyuo said.

The joint secretary of the health and family welfare department met the DRAN leaders on Wednesday but the meeting was inconclusive, he added.