Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Jan 3: A large number of cooks engaged in the Govt Primary and Middle Schools in Balakote Zone of district Poonch are without wages for the last about 21 months.
These poor workers have been engaged by the State Education Department under Mid-Day Meals Scheme and are paid just Rs 1000 wages per month. Most of these persons engaged are widows and poor ladies of the respective villages/ hamlets. These hapless workers approached the ZEO Balakote several times demanding release of their wages but they received reply that Government has not released funds for their wages.
CEO, Poonch Lal Hussain when contacted claimed that he released wages of eight months of these cooks in the recent past and the funds were kept at the disposal of incharge ZEO Balakote, Abdul Rashid Choudhary. He also assured to held an inquiry into the matter.