M Majid Malik
Bhaderwah
Dozens of casual labourers working with the Public Works Department Bhaderwah on Tuesday protested against Jammu and Kashmir government , demanding immediate release of their two years pending wages and streamlining their services.
Amid slogans in support of their demands, the protesting labourers alleged that scores of their colleagues, some of them employed 15 years ago, are still waiting regularisation and are being forced to earn their livelihood from alternative means.
They also alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir government orders to upload all data regarding casual labours online, was blocked by Superintendent Engineer Doda office of the R&B Doda district who had not furthered the information to the main offices.
The wages of the casual labours, according to the protesting employees, have not been released for two years, much to the desperation of the employees and their families.
Speaking on the occasion Er Javed Lone president Youth Congress Bhaderwah said the new coalition Government formed only high power committee for the budget and there are no provisions for welfare of casual labourers of public works department and neither any steps are taken to meet our interests.
He demanded release of wages of 72 labourers working in PWD Bhaderwah under proper wages head. He also expressed anguish meted out by the previous Jammu and Kashmir Government by making false promises for regularization of around 1336 casual labours working in PW(R&B) Department.“I am not able to pay school fee of my children. For the last two years, we haven’t received any salary. We are not able to understand why they don’t release our salary. This is my only source of livelihood due to which my family suffers,” said Nawaz Ahmed, a protesting employee.
