Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 19: At least four persons were injured when police resorted to lathi-charge on the employees of Urban Local Bodies after they carried out a protest demonstration in support of their demands here today. Around one dozen Urban Local Bodies employees were also arrested by the police.
This morning scores of employees of Urban Local Bodies assembled near the Khalsa High School and raised protest against the State Government’s alleged apathy towards them. The protesters said that despite many reminders the Government has not fulfilled their demands.
Talking to Excelsior, Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, President Urban Local Bodies Employees United Forum (ULBEUF) said that police used force against them despite the protest being a peaceful one. Manzoor said that Government has miserably failed in solving the problems of employees of Urban Local Bodies.
Police also lobbed water cannons on the protesters while ensuring that the march towards the Civil Secretariat is foiled. The police action on the protesters led to disruption of traffic in the area for some time. Merchandise of some of the shopkeepers also got damaged due to the lobbing of water cannons by the police.
The protesters were demanding implementation of the service rules in the local bodies and re-organisation of the department. They also expressed their dismay over the delay in conduct of departmental promotion committee (DPC) meeting.
Manzoor said that the employees of the Urban Local Bodies should be paid salary as per the re-organization pattern with 61 percent of HRA/DA. He said 20 percent arrears under the Sixth Pay Commission should be released for Urban Local Bodies employees. He said an effective and time bound transfer policy should also be announced for the employees.
He demanded that daily wagers as well as consolidating workers especially sweeping staff should be regularized. He said the names of the corrupt officers or officials of the Local Bodies should be publicized so that the department is made free from corrupt people
Follow our WhatsApp channel