Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 17: ITI trained and CP workers of PHE Department continued their protest demonstration in support of their old pending demands at BC Road office complex of the department today.
A large number of workers, under the banner of All J&K PHE, ITI Trained & CP Workers Association, headed by its provincial president, Tanveer Hussain reached BC Road office of the Chief Engineer in the morning and continued their protest demonstration against the higher authorities. The agitating workers had earlier given three days’ ultimatum to the higher authorities to frame a proper policy for their regularization otherwise they will be forced intensify their struggle and stop the water supply to all the areas in the region including Katra Mata Vaishno Devi and Shrine Board locations.
These agitating workers were raising slogans in support of their demands including regularization, timely and regular payment of their wages and enhancement in rate of their daily wages. They demanded that disparity in the wages of the Valley based and Jammu region workers be removed and unique wage system be adopted in all the three regions of the State.
Minister for PHE, I&FC when contacted said a delegation of agitating workers had also met him last evening in Jammu. They were assured that alone he can not frame policy and for this entire Cabinet is competent. He has taken up the issue forcefully and State Cabinet would decide their fate. He said this is old issue and it is not possible to resolve it within couple of days. The minister said the workers who have offered their private lands for setting up tube wells/ water stations/ tanks etc will get justice soon. They are about 2100 in number and the case has been sent to Finance Department for clearance. Moreover, the ITI trained workers’ case is also in process.
Referring to the need base workers, the minister said they were engaged against the schemes and after the scheme is over, they have to go as is done in case of temporary labours. He cannot help in this case and they also know it well, the minister added.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders Raman Bhalla, Manjit Singh and Vikram Malhotra visited the site of dharna at BC Road today to extend support to the agitating daily wagers, CP, need base workers and ITI trained temporary workers and land donors, who are demanding regularization policy and payment of regular wages.
The Congress leaders extended full support to the demands of agitating workers and assured full support to their justified cause. They criticized the indifferent and unsympathetic attitude of the present Government towards their genuine demands and asked to take immediate steps in the direction of regularization policy and payment of wages.
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