Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 23: Kashmir PHE Joint Employees Association today demanded immediate release of pending salaries of daily wagers before August 26 and an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the Jal Shakti Department.
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Headed by Sajad Parray, the Association during a protest here said that the wages of the workers were stopped without any reason on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr following which the workers staged a protest at the Chief Engineer’s Office against non-release of wages.
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, the wages of 10500 daily wagers were stopped again and due to the relentless efforts of the association, the salaries got released, but salaries of 600 daily wagers working in the Water Works Division Srinagar for the month of July were kept withheld under the pretext of transferring them to the local bodies,” Parray said.
He added that on the ground the employees are still working under PHE Chief Engineer which he said is in contrast to what they were told.
Later, the Association approached the High Court and was able to secure a stay and the directions with regard to the release of the wages as well; however, the officials did not budge, he added.
“Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir, in violation of government and the High Court orders, released the salaries of half of the daily wagers only, as a result, hundreds of families are facing starvation,” Parray said.
Association said that if the wages of the pending workers are not released till August 26, the protest program shall be intensified.
“In the first phase, on Thursday, August 26, there will be a complete strike in Water Works Division, Srinagar and the consequences thereof shall be borne by the Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir,” Parray said.
He appealed the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta to pass directions for the implementation of Court orders so that the wages of workers are released.
“A high-level inquiry should also be conducted to look into the financial and administrative irregularities in the PHE (Jal. Shakti), along with conducting a water audit,” he demanded.
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