Srinagar
The members of Jammu and Kashmir contractors coordination committee on Tuesday held a protest at press Colony here, Srinagar against the government for failing to clear their pending bills.
KL image by Mehraj Bhat
The contractors were demanding clearance of bills which they claimed were pending with the government.
They alleged that Rs35 crore of estate Contractors is still pending with the government for the last four years.
“We are protesting against online bidding and our pending liabilities, we have complained several departments like Roads and Buildings department, irrigation department and Ministers but no one is paying heed to our sufferings”, said Shabir Ahmed, a Contractor.
The protesting contractors threatened to come out on the roads and forcibly lock all the treasuries if their payment was not released. “Government is leaving us with no option but to come the on-road and take harsh steps,” they said.
He said that the projects that start with funding of Rs 1 lakh sometimes end up using 5 lakh rupees and we do not get the exact reimbursement for our works.
The protesters shouted antigovernment slogans and were demanding ban on online bidding.
The protesting contractors try to march towards Chief Minister’s residence but was stopped by police near Regal Chowk and several protestors along with the representatives of the committee, Farooq Ahmed Dar and Mohammad Maqbool were detained.
Later, they burned the effigy of the state finance minister Haseeb Drabu at Press Colony in Lal Chowk.
