Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 24: Daily wagers from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department staged a protest today, demanding compensation for workers who tragically lost their lives while on duty.
The protesters also stressed the need for the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in J&K for the betterment of the workers.
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These workers gathered in large number at the Press Enclave, raising slogans and displaying placards to project their demands. They highlighted hardships faced by the families of the deceased daily wagers, who had lost lives while performing their duty.
Leading the protest was Sajjad Parray, who heads an amalgamation of daily wagers from various departments. Parray expressed his dismay over what he perceived as deliberate delay by the administration in addressing the issues faced by temporary workers.
“Time and again, we have brought this matter to the notice of the LG-led administration and the bureaucracy. However, all we have received are empty assurances. Today, with the presence of the Home Minister, we decided to assert our demands as he has announced the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act,” he added.
Parray further highlighted the unfulfilled promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve the lives of workers. “It has been nearly six years since the Prime Minister’s assurance, but there has been no tangible improvement on the ground. The workers and their families continue to suffer,” he lamented.
He pointed out that workers were losing their lives while performing their tasks, yet the government seemed indifferent to their plight.
Parray cited the examples of workers who died in Tarzoo and Bijbehara while repairing the water pipeline to the Yatri centre, emphasizing that their families had been left to fend for themselves without any compensation.
The protestors demanded the immediate implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in J&K, along with prompt compensation for the families of workers who had lost their lives while on duty.
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