Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Dec 29: Taking serious view of non-implementation of the directions to convene DPCs after every six months in their respective divisions, Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma today ordered withholding salaries of the non-compliant Executive Engineers across the State. He also directed immediate attachment of Superintending Engineer Hydraulic Udhampur, Shesh Kumar Sharma for his poor performance. The SE will report to the Personal Section of PHE Minister.
These instructions were issued by the Minster while addressing the one-day convention of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) at Udhampur.
The Minister said that the instructions for convening DPCs after every six months in all the divisions were passed on by the Administrative Department, but majority of officers have not implemented these instructions, resulting in un-necessary delay to the employees to get their right of promotions. “Since it is serious lapse on the part of Executive Engineers of PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control Department and the salary of all defecting officers shall remained withheld till they convene the DPCs in their divisions”, the Minister ordered.
Warning all the non-performing engineers, the Minister directed them to mend ways or face severe action. He said everybody has to understand his/her responsibility and they must deliver on ground and provide best service to the public. He directed the engineers to attend people’s problems on priority and address their all pending issues, particularly with regard to land compensation to those whose land have been acquired for developing the PHE Schemes in a time bound manner.
Meanwhile, replying to the charter of demands of INTUC, the Minister said that Government was serious to address all genuine issues of Daily Wagers/CP Workers/Casual labourers in a phased manner with regard to regularization of such workers.
On the issue of wages, the Minister said that Government will explore all possibilities to make a permanent budgetary provision for paying regular wages to all the temporary workers.
He supported the demands put forth by the INTUC and said that these demands are genuine and deserve humanitarian consideration.
MLA Chenani, Krishan Chander Bhagat and State INTUC President, Shiv Kumar Sharma also spoke on the occasion and supported the demands of the workers and advocated for their immediate redressal.
District President, INTUC, Udhampur, Som Nath, who was host of the Convention, highlighted the demands of the workers of various departments and urged the Minister for using his good offices for their immediate redressal. The demands which were presented by the INTUC included, release of pending salaries of PHE workers, budgetary provision for regular wages, regularization of Daily Wagers, change of designation of employees, special consideration for the qualified employees in promotions, enhancement of wages to the Mid-Day Meal Workers, enhancement of medical allowance to regular employees at Rs. 1000 per month, release of DA from 1/7/2013, enhancement of wages to the Daily Rated Employees and early settlement of all land cases.
Later, the Minister also met various deputations of Sarpanchs and political parties and listened to their problems. The problems highlighted before the Minister mainly related to the drinking water and irrigation. He issued instructions to the officers for their examination and appropriate disposal on priority.
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