Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Mar 9: A massive protest was held by PHE Employees Association under the chairmanship of Som Nath, vice president, PHEEA, Jammu Province in which large number of employees drawn from Bhawan, Katra, Syal Dabri, Adh-Kuwari, Agarjito, Kakryal University, Panthal etc assem bled at PHE Sub-Division Katra and highlighted their long pending genuine demands.
Som Nath while addressing expressed serious concern over inaction of the Divisional authorities to effect transfers of Class IV employees in the Reasi division despite lapse of more than month’s time. Som Nath warned the concerned authorities of direct action in case the implementation of transfer order was delayed any further.
The speakers demanded immediate release of wages for the past 13 months as a result they have come to the verge of starvation along with their families. They said the Government was forcing the PHE employees to adopt ‘No Pay; No Work’ and demanded strict orders for disbursement of their wages well in time.
They said in Katra a new water supply scheme has been commissioned and 62 workers have been engaged since May 2012 but they have not been paid their wages since their appopintment. They said since Shrine Board has no shortage of money the wages of these workers should immediately be released.
The speakers demanded change of designation as per nature of job being done by them as the same would not cast any financial burden on the Department as way back in 1989-1990 their designations were changed.
Other demands highlighted on the occasion pertained to holding of DPC meeting which has not met for the last 15 years, recruitment of new staff for the new water supply schemes as crores of rupees are spent on new schemes but no required manpower is engaged to man the same.
The speakers demanded benefit of SRO 64 in respect of all daily wagers, ITI workers, community participation workers who have completed more than seven years of regular service; conversion of CP workers as daily wagers as also repair and maintenance to duty rooms and pumping rooms which has not been undertaken for the past two years. The also demanded making as daily wagers of all such workers who have been engaged on need basis but promises regularization and in future such practice should be stopped.
Addressing the gathering Som Nath appealed all the PHE employees to remain united to get their demands fulfilled by the Government.
Others who addressed included Baldev Raj, Chuni Lal, Jagdev Singh, Bansi Lal, Rakesh Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Suraj Parkash, Dinesh Kesar etc.