Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: After getting no response from the UT Administration with regard to their demands of release of pending wages and regularization, the PHE workers decided to extend their strike for next 72 hours.
A senior Trade union leader said that the PHE Employees United Front in an emergency meting held this afternoon decided to extend its strike up to Wednesday. He said the Department has lodged many FIRs against the perotesting PHE Daily Rated Workers (DRWs) for allegedly causuing damage to the pumping stations and water stations. It has been done just to sabotage the ongoing agitation.
The PHE workers are on strike under the banner of PHE Employees United Front, Jammu province since February 7. Today is 10th day of the strike. The workers are sitting on protest dharna in the office of Chief Engineer, PHE BC Road complex besides other district and Sub Divisional headquarters. They are demanding release of their pending wages of 58 months, regularization of DRWs, conduct of DPC of all cadre, filling up of vacant posts, repair/ maintenance of pumping houses/ water stations and basic facilities at water stations for the staff.
While addressing protesting workers senior members of the Front said that work remained totally paralysed in all the PHE Divisions in the region. But unfortunately the Lt Governor’s Administration has paid no attention towards the plight of the agitating employees.
They alleged that concerned higher authorities have not responded properly to their demands and they have been forced to extend their strike. The strike will be continued till honourable negotiation and settlement of all the issues. They also regretted the inconvenience being caused to the general public due to suspension of water supply.
Prominent Union leaders/ trade unionists who addressed the agitationg employees included – Bakshi Singh, Ravi Kumar, Swarn Singh, Tanveer Hussain, Jyoti Kumar, BP Singh, Som Nath, Kulbhushan, Hoshiar Singh, Deepak Gupta and others.
Meanwhile, the watyer supply has been badly effected in many parts of Jammu city and rural areas of the region due to ongoing strike of the workers. The general public has been badly suffering due to suspension of water supply as about 70 % work is being performed by these daily rated workers.
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