Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 15: Unbelievable it may sound but it is a fact that Ladakh region is inhospitable terrain with extreme harsh climate for the Central Government employees but not for the employees of Jammu and Kashmir.
This is evident from the different yardsticks being adopted in case of similarly situated employees. However, the resentment over being treated differently among the State employees has reached stage of climax and if the corrective steps are not taken the official machinery will come to standstill in the region.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that keeping in view the inhospitable terrain and extreme harsh climate, the Central Government sanctioned Special Duty Allowance at the rate of 12.5% of the basic pay in case of its employees posted in the Ladakh region with effect from September 2008. However, this benefit eludes the employees of the State Government during the past nearly 5 years.
“The benefit has not been extended to the employees posted in the Ladakh region by the State Government despite the fact that a number of representations were made to the Chief Minister and Minister for Ladakh Affairs not only by the representatives of the employees but also by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Deputy Commissioner-cum–Chief Executive Officer of the Hill Council”, sources said. Even the Minister from the Leh district, Nawang Rigjin Jora personally took up the issue with the Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather in the month of March this year.
Justifying the demand of State Government employees, sources said, “faced with the prospects of numerous disadvantages, employees particularly from the Kashmir valley and Jammu region shirk from getting posted in Ladakh region and always tend to find ways to manage themselves adjusted elsewhere on one or the other pretext”.
“Those who fail to find way out and get posted in the region finally proceed on long leave in order to avoid working in the inhospitable conditions There are instances where some employees even forego promotion to escape Ladakh transfer”, they further said, adding “this trend is having direct bearing on the developmental prospects of the region with posts remaining vacant for long period and projects missing the deadlines”.
Unable to tolerate indifferent attitude of the State Government, the employees posted in the region have now geared up for the final battle and recently during their pen down strike the functioning of every department came to the standstill, sources said.
“Even the tourism activity suffered immensely as majority of the areas in the Leh district can be visited only after the issuance of proper permits by the officers designated by the administration”, they further said while pointing towards the grave situation which can erupt in case of employees proceeding on several days long strike.
Though the employees have presently shelved their agitation plan on the intervention of Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) of the Hill Council, Rigjin Spalbar, further delay in providing them justice by treating at par with the Central Government employees on Special Duty Allowance issue would create grave situation in the region, they said while disclosing that employees have already severed an ultimatum to the Government in this regard.
When contacted, CEC LAHDC Leh, Rigjin Spalbar admitted that resentment among the employees has reached crescendo and if their demand was not met with official machinery may come to standstill in the region. “I am going to meet the Chief Minister shortly to request him for early favourable decision as employees have conveyed that they are not going to tolerate injustice anymore”, he added.
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