KL Report
SRINAGAR
State employees Wednesday thanked the administration for conceding the demands that were pending since years and had become contentious which led to acrimony between the employees and government last year.
JCC Head, Qayoom Wani flanked by several other leaders thanked the state government besides several other separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani for their moral support. “Political associations cutting across religious and ideological lines extended their support for resolving the issues of employees. I thank all of them on behalf of the employees and JCC leader ship” Qayoom Wani, JCC leader reiterated.
Further, Wani said that employees were struggling from last few years to secure the dues admissible to them and on Tuesday, their struggle bore the fruit. “I thank employees for remaining steadfast during their struggle. Employees were jailed; baton charged besides invoking ESMA and Dies-non (no pay no work) but employees exhibited unity and persisted with their genuine demands.”
JCC leaders yesterday had held a one-on-one meeting with the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who expressed his keen interest to solve the problems faced by the employees.JCC leaders had yesterday put 27 demands before the CM who has assured that all the demands will be solved at appropriate levels, the JCC leadership informed.
“Some demands require cabinet considerations and CM has promised that such demands will be addressed on immediate basis in the cabinet” JCC leadership divulged. Some issues which were approved during the meeting in presence of Chief Secretary, Mohd Iqbal Khanday include the raising of retirement age from 58 to 60, while the age bar criteria for appointments was also raised from 37 to 40.
Moreover, pay anomalies existent in various departments, service benefits to contractual lecturers and ReTs were also resolved the meeting only. “CM has also promised that the problems faced by the casual labours will be resolved in one month” the leaders clarified.
Another JCC leader and convenor Rouf Bhat while addressing the media said that employees always endeavored to solve their problems peacefully. “Politics should not be mixed up with our problems” he requested.
He reiterated that JCC will not allow anybody to use its forum for advancing any illegal or political agenda. “JCC strongly disapproves of such attempts” he emphasised.
Urging employees to remain steadfast, Rouf Bhat said that JCC will take up other issues in coming times. “Notwithstanding the dues and benefits provided to employees, we need to be conscious of our duties also,” Rouf Bhat implored. Further he solicited that employees should make attempts to create a decent impression. “We must not always venture out with begging bowls rather we should make efforts to institutionalize the cadre of employees,” he explained.
Pertinently, last year employees were mistreated while protesting for their demands, in which several employees had to face the government ire besides inviting the wrath from High Court and public ridicule more so when one of their top leaders joined a prominent political party after retirement.
