* Dharna at CE’s office enters 204th day
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 12: The PHE workers and daily wagers’ staged strong protest demonstration and also conducted ‘Gherao’ of Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti Department at B C Road Complex here today.
They were demanding release of their pending wages of about 70 months, salary of December month and regularisation of their services. Their strike and protest dharna continued the 204th consecutive day today outside the office of Chief Engineer, PHE / Jal Shakti department Jammu and other Divisional headquarters across ten districts of Jammu province.
Jal Shakti workers are on strike since June 22, 2022 and demanding release of their pending wages and regularization of their services. Despite several rounds of talks with higher authorities in the Department, their issues could not be resolved despite Lt Governor’s assurance.
A large number of PHE workers from various Divisions and Sub- Divisions in Jammu assembled outside the office of Chief Engineer PHE Jammu, at BC Road, under the banner of PHE United Front and held strong protest demonstration. They were shouting slogans in support of their demands and also against LG’s Administration, BJP and other higher authorities in the J&K UT. Later, they moved to the office of Chief Engineer and conducted his `Gherao’ for over an hour. They were demanding release of wages for the month of December on Lohri. The Chief Engineer however, assured them that he had taken up the issue with the higher authorities and wages as per enhanced scale will be released shortly.
The employees representatives including, Ravi Hans, Navdeep Singh, Hoshiar Singh, Rajinder Kumar and others said that they have decided not to call off strike until an order is issued by the Government. They appealed to the Divisional Commissioner Jammu to honor his commitment made on October 17 meeting.
These workers are demanding regularization, enhancement of Minimum Wages as per Central norms in J&K UT and release of pending wages of 70 months of PHE workers.
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