Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Mar 5: Jal Shakti Employees and Workers Association (District Unit Udhampur) has demanded regularization of PHE daily wagers and release of their pending wages of 65 months without any more delay.
Addressing a press conference here today, Som Nath, NPP Trade Union vice president and district president of the Association, demanded that all the daily wagers/ consolidated workers of the PHE/ Jal Shakti Department be regularized without any delay. He said many representations were given to the higher authorities and even several times protests were held, but Administration did not bother about the sufferings of the workers.
Som Nath further demanded that pending salary of 65 months of the workers be released. He strongly condemned the attitude of the PHE Division Udhampur authorities for adoping pick and choose method while disbursing wages of the daily rated workers. He alleged that staff of some Sub Divisions in Udhampur was disbursed salary of one month and 18 days while in two Sub Divisions- Ramnagar and Chenani, the staff was provided salary of just 18 days, causing grave discrimination.
Trade Union leader said the Government had released salary after the gap of five months, but it is unfortunate that 441 workers were provided wages of just 18 days, which is highly unjustified and unfair. He said 250 workers were given wages of one month and 18 days. He asked what was the citeria adopted by the Executive Engineer, PHE Udhampur, Mohd Taj who is also DDO. He further alleged that XEn concerned despite having official quarter, does not stays at Udhampur. The official vehicle goes to pick up him from Jammu and then drop in the evening and again comes back to Udhampur late in evening and goes to pick up him the next morning . The department must stop misuse of Govt vehicle and the higher authorities in Jal Shakti Deptt and District Administration must take cognizance of the matter.
Som Nath further demanded implementation of the Minimum Wages Act as per Central norms, remove shortage of staff at water stations and PHE offices, conduct of DPC of all the cadres and early clearance of all the SRO- 43 cases.
He further said that in the absence of wages, helpless workers are unable to feed their families and also to continue the studies of their children. He said that Lt Governor and the concerned Advisor must take cognizance of the matter and clear 65 months pending wages of the workers.
He said that on Nov 11, 2020 PHE United Front deputation led by BJP MP Jugal Kishore and State BJP president Ravinder Raina had met Lt Governor Sinha who had assured to solve their issues before January 15, 2021 but unfortunately nothing has happned so far.
Trade Union leader was accompanied by general secretary Vijay Kumar and senior members Suraj Parkash and Dinesh Kesar.
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