PHE workers’ intensify strike, stop water supply from Company Bagh

PHE workers staging protest at Company Bagh Water Station near MA Stadium in Jammu on Monday. —Excelsior/Rakesh
PHE workers staging protest at Company Bagh Water Station near MA Stadium in Jammu on Monday. —Excelsior/Rakesh

*Supply to many Jammu City areas hit

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 17: The water supply to Civil Secretariat and many localities of Jammu City was badly hit as the striking PHE workers /daily wagers today suspended water supply from Company Bagh station near MA Stadium today.

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PHE workers and daily wagers’ today assembled at Company Bagh instead of BC Road PHE Complex on the 117th day of their strike and sat on protest dharna near MA Stadium. They raised loud slogans against the LG’s Administration and BJP leadership . They alleged that despite assurances the senior officers have miserably failed to resolve the issues of regularization and release of pending wages of the workers.
With the suspension of water supply from Company Bagh Water Station, the supplies to many Old City areas including Civil Secretariat, Canal Road, Chand Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Resham Ghar Colony etc remained affected. The employees leaders said that UT Administration was trying to test the patience of the striking workers. They will be responsible for the emerging situation. They said either take decision about their future or send them home clearing their wages. They have now given only these two options.
The protesting workers are demanding release of their pending wages of about 70 months and also regularisation of their services by enacting a clear policy. Their strike and protest dharna continued on the 117th consecutive day today .
Jal Shakti/PHE workers are on strike since June 22, 2022. Despite several rounds of talks with higher authorities in the Department, their issues could not be resolved. A large number of PHE workers from various Divisions and Sub- Divisions in Jammu assembled near MA Stadium and held strong protest. They did not allow even permanent employees to work at this water station. They claimed that from tomorrow onwards they will snap supplies from other water stations as well.
The employees representatives including, Ravi Hans, Navdeep Singh, Hoshiar Singh, Rajinder Singh and others said that they were befooled many times and also called off their strike merely on assurances but this time they are prepared for decisive battle.
Similar protest dharnas are being held at Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur , Doda, Reasi and other Sub Divisions. This has badly affected the water supply at many places across the Jammu province while the Government has remained unmoved.