Excelsior Correspondent
-Excelsior/ Rakesh
JAMMU, May 23: The strike and protest programme launched by PHE daily wagers, ITI trained and CP workers in the entire Jammu region entered 70th consecutive day today.
The PHE workers today organised protest at main PHE complex here as a large number of ITI trained and CP workers were holding strong protest in semi-naked position. They pulled out their shirts and under shirts and started protest. The strike of these workers, seeking their regularization and release of pending wages for more than 35 months, today entered the 70th consecutive day. The people, especially those residing in rural areas and Kandi belt of Jammu, Samba and Kathua are facing acute shortage of water. The people have been forced to fetch water from the old traditional sources and even from the rivers during these hot summer days.
Most of the water pumping stations / tube wells were being operated by temporary staff of PHE Civil and Mechanical wing and due to their strike for the last over one and half month, the department failed to run these stations and operate motors properly. The people are unable to get water even after 3-4 days as the department does not have sufficient permanent staff. No alternate arrangements of water supply through tankers have been made in these areas.
A large number of temporary workers under the leadership of Tanveer Hussain, Union leader held protest dharna at PHE complex, B C Road. They were staging strong protest demonstration against the Government. The workers have suspended entire work in the region. The department is facing difficulty to maintain supply to the public as only permanent staff is performing duty and they are over burdened. The Government has turned mute spectator. It is least bothered to find a way out to ensure water supply during these hot summer days.
Tanveer Hussain and several other trade unionists addressed the gathering and alleged that despite assurances by senior officers and Ministers, their issues have remained un-resolved. They demanded that a policy be framed for the regularization of all type of temporary workers and their pending wages be released without any delay.
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