Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 21: The Kashmir PHE Joint Employees Association, while announcing a protest scheduled for tomorrow, demanded the implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment in the Kashmir Division by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department.
Addressing a press conference here, the association’s Chairman, Sajad Ahmad Parray, condemned what he described as the lackadaisical approach and delaying tactics adopted by the authorities in Kashmir, in stark contrast to the smooth and timely implementation of the same provisions in the Jammu Division.
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He referred to the Chief Engineer’s communication dated 04.07.2025, which had instructed the submission of a report on the matter. “However, instead of ensuring compliance, the authorities continue to indulge in the formation of committees that serve no purpose other than delaying implementation,” he said.
Parray noted that, by doing so, the authorities are violating the spirit and mandate of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, relevant Government orders and Administrative Council decisions, as well as the principles of equality and decentralization enshrined in the Constitution and the Reorganization Act of 2019.
“Such behavior reflects a deliberate disregard for the constitutional structure and amounts to institutional discrimination, which is unacceptable,” he said, adding that the delay is not only administrative but also “politically insensitive and constitutionally unjust.”
As a mark of protest, he announced that the association will hold a symbolic demonstration at the Water Works Division in Srinagar tomorrow, demanding the immediate implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment and an end to the “discriminatory attitude” towards the Kashmir Division.
Parray further warned that if the issue is not addressed within the stipulated time, the protest will be intensified, and the consequences thereof shall be borne by the authorities of the Kashmir PHE Department.
The Kashmir PHE Joint Employees Association held the Chief Engineer, PHE Kashmir, solely responsible for any disruption or administrative fallout resulting from the agitation.
“The movement is constitutionally grounded, morally justified, and non-negotiable,” the association said, while calling upon the Government and the concerned authorities to act promptly to prevent further escalation.
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