Public suffer as PHE workers’ strike enters 47th day

PHE daily wage workers staging protest outside Chief Engg’s Office at BC Road in Jammu on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
PHE daily wage workers staging protest outside Chief Engg’s Office at BC Road in Jammu on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

BJP chief, MP assure to take up issue with LG

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 10 The general public, particularly in rural and semi- urban areas is badly suffering as the strike of the PHE/Jal Shakti Department daily rated/ consolidated workers entered 47th consecutive day today.
The employees/ workers of Jal Shakti (PHE) Department, under the banner of PHE Employees United Front, held strong protest demonstration outside the office of Chief Engineer at BC Road PHE complex here today. The agitating workers criticized the UT Administration for its failure to resolve their pending issue. They said despite such a long agitation, the authorities have failed to release pending wages of the workers and also ensure their regularisation.
The workers condemned the protesting workers in Kashmir and demanded their release. They alleged that BJP has failed to resolve the pending issues of the workers and employees despite long protests and many representations to the higher authorities. Even local BJP leadership was silent over the matter.
The protesting workers were demanding their regularization, release of pending 65 months’ wages of many workers, implement Minimum Wages Act in J&K on Central pattern and revoke 12 vouchers’ rider.
They claimed that the agitation would be continued till their demands are addressed by the Government. The members alleged that J&K Administration itself wants to worsen the situation. They said during COVID, wagers do not want to assemble in large number but the Administration has forced them to do so.
The United Front leaders claimed that during protest outside BJP office at Trikuta Nagar, state BJP chief Ravinder Raina and MP Jugal Kishore assured to take up their issue with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha tomorrow. They said senior members of the United Front will also accompany them during meeting with Lt Governor tomorrow.
Senior members Jyoti Parkash, Rajinder Singh, Navdeep Singh, Hoshiar Singh, Ravi Singh, Bhanu Partap, Mohan Lal, Binkal Manhas and others were also present on the occasion.