KL Report
SRINAGAR
Dozens of PHE daily wagers Monday were injured and arrested when they tried to protest to push for their demands in Srinagar at MA Road, Lal Chowk.
The Daily wage employees of the PHE department had planned a protest march from their head office towards the press enclave; however the police deployed en-route cracked its whip on them thereby disrupting their march.
As soon as the protesters reached out on the main road, the constabulary in an attempt to prevent them from taking on the MA road countered them with batons and water cannons.
Traffic on the MA road got disrupted adding to the chaos. Protesters were seen running here and there seeking refuge against the police batons.
Several employees were injured in the police action said a protester, Gulzar Ahmad, resident of Char-e-Sharief. “One of the injured is reported to be serious” he added.
Several other protesters were bundled into police vehicles and taken into custody.
Employees of the department claim that they were employed a decade back with a promise that they will be regularized. But till now no such step has been taken. “We are being paid a meagre salary of Rs 4500 per month which is insufficient to meet our daily needs” said a protester Shabir Ahmad.
“Government has made hollow promises and we are protesting against its in callous attitude” he added.
Amazingly, the total strength of the daily wagers in PHE department is around 2600 who were appointed by different regimes that were at the helm in past several years.
