Dharmarth Trust asks employees to call off strike, resume duties

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 18: The management of Dharmarth Trust, which looks after the temples in Jammu and Kashmir, has appealed to its protesting employees in Jammu city, to call off their strike and resume their duties at the earliest.
The Trust clarified that the strike was restricted to a group of employees in Jammu city and temples across J&K were functioning smoothly. Furthermore, employees in temples outside Jammu were not in favour of this strike and did not support the anti-religious and anti-organisation activities of the strike, added the statement, claiming that some vested interests and disgruntled employees did not favour anti-corruption measures that the Dharmarth Trust undertook in public interest and in favour of the yatris.
At the same time, the Trust also warned the striking employees that it will take appropriate action if the employees do not join back and perform their duties.
“The striking employees have been receiving their salaries regularly since the time they have been on strike. However, they are not been performing their duties and hence the management and welfare of the temples in Jammu city have suffered,” said the Trust management and warned that it would start proceeding as per guidelines declared by the Supreme Court with regard to ‘No work, No pay’ and ‘termination of services of temporary employees’ if they do not resume their work.
The management of Dharmarth Trust reiterated that reasonable demands and grievances of the employees, such as increase in salary would be considered in the next financial year. Currently, the Trust is already spending seventy percent of its annual budget on salaries of employees which has been a burden on its limited resources, added the statement and alleged that the employees continuing strike and protest with unjustified demands and unreasonable conditions have their personal motive and agenda in mind and are not at all interested in the welfare of the Temples.