Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 22: Notwithstanding incessant rains, hundreds of employees working under National Health Mission today conducted a mega-protest at Press Club Jammu.
Employees from across Jammu region and many of their counterparts from Kashmir valley reached the venue early in the morning and continued their protests till afternoon.
Thousands of employees from across the State have been on strike for last 9 days and holding protests in favour of their demands including formulation of a regularization policy.
The employees that include doctors, managerial staff and paramedics are also seeking the benefit of Supreme Court guidelines on ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’.
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It may be worth mentioning that the employees had held protests and strike last year as well and had called off the strike after written assurances from the then Health Minister Bali Bhagat. However, the employees say that the commitments are yet to see the light of the day despite passage of one year.
“At this stage of life when we have already dedicated 12 years of our service to the department there is no other alternative for us. We need a secure future as we cannot apply for fresh jobs or think of a career change at this stage”, said president of All J&K NHM Employees Association, Jammu province, Rohit Seth.
He added that Haryana State has already implemented a policy for giving equal pay to NHM employees at par with other employees. “Even contractual employees in J&K State have been given the benefit of minimum of pay scale under SRO 384. We appeal the Governor to provide justice to us”, he added.
The employees said the Governor Satya Pal Malik has assured them that their just demands will be fulfilled and a meeting to consider the same shall be held shortly. “We are extremely hopeful of a positive outcome of the meeting and hope that we shall not have to continue our protests”, said Altaf Ahmad Bhat, vice president of the Kashmir province unit of the Association.
At the venue, the employees raised slogans in favour of their demands and resolved to continue their protest till fulfillment of their demands.
Meanwhile, the employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) staged a protest demonstration at Press Enclave in Srinagar demanding regularization of their services.
The protesting employees said that the strike which started from January 14 is ending tomorrow and the members of the association are going to meet the Governor to put forward their demands again.
“We will continue to protest peacefully until we are given full assurance that the required action will be taken,” Mudasir Nani, spokesman of the Association said
The protesting employees urged the Governor to immediately implement the Supreme Court verdict of equal pay for equal work till a policy was framed for regularization.
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