Excelsior Correspondent
![VRS employees of SRTC staging protest outside Press Club on Wednesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh](http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/page10-53-300x153.jpg)
JAMMU, Apr 23: All J&K SRTC Volunteer Retired Employees Association staged a protest demonstration this morning in front of Press Club, against State SRTC for not clearing their pending dues.
Addressing the protesting VRS employees, president, VRS Union, Dev Raj Bali and general secretary, Surinder Singh, strongly criticized the attitude of SRTC Department and higher authorities of Transport Department towards VRS and GHS employees of State SRTC.
They alleged that their (VRS and GHS employees’) case for pending dues like COLA arrears, leave salary, gratuity, ex-gratia grant and pending bills was misrepresented before the Finance Department due to which the bills amounting to Rs 30,16,10, 673 have been lying for last three years in the Finance Department, adding this huge amount lying with the Finance Department deserves compound interest @ 12% per annum.
“Our own Department is doing injustice with us, as on one hand our services have gone and on the other hand our dues, which were promised to be cleared within 60 days from the date of VRS and GHS, are still pending”, said Dev Raj Bali.
Reiterating the demands of the Association, which included clearing 16 pending installments of COLA 2006, 18 installments of 2007, 26 installments of COLA 2008, 35 installments of COLA 2009, 31 installments of COLA upto 2010, pending arrears since 1999 and 6th Pay Commission arrears with effect from January 1, 2006, Surinder Singh said VRS and GHS employees have on dharnas and demonstrations for last four years for getting their legitimate dues but neither the Finance Department nor SRTC did anything to redress their demands.