Release 65 months pending wages of DRWs: Som Nath

PHE daily wagers waiting for justice
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Dec 2: Jal Shakti/ PHE Employees and Workers Association leader, Som Nath has urged upon the higher authorities in the UT administration to regularise the daily rated workers without more delay and release their pending 65 months’ wages.
In a meeting of the workers of the Association held at PHE Complex, Udhampur today, Som Nath, District president and senior Trade Union leader Jammu province, said that the daily wagers are on agitation since long. The Govt is befooling these hapless workers and harassing their families. The daily wagers hope that the present Govt will fulfill their genuine issues.
“We appeal to the Govt to take decision with regard to the burning issues of the daily wagers. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and concern PHE/ Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana must resolve the issue of pending wages of 65 months (2014-2020) of the workers. In the coming Assembly Budget the Govt should keep the provision for the pending wages so that the daily wagers could get justice,” Som Nath said.
During the meeting Som Nath and other members demanded regularization of daily wagers:- CP/ITI/Land case workers who have completed 7 years of service as per SRO-64; release pending wages of the workers since last 65-70 months (2014-2020); clear all the pending wages of the workers in future with interest, moreover, dues of workers who were retired from the department after serving 25-28 years should be released immediately.
Som Nath further demanded that minimum wages to the workers be given accordingly as per Govt order that too, as per Delhi UT. The UT Government Leh has enhanced the rate of daily wagers but the Lieutenant Governor has not done the same in J&K. He said the discrimination with Jammu is always on higher side as the rate of daily wagers is just Rs 311 per day, which is not anywhere in the country.
He further demanded that shortage of staff be removed in the department. Many people are getting retired but no staff has been engaged. The JJM Scheme will not run without workers. Som demanded that DA @ 3% should be released immediately in favour of UT employee as Central Government has already released it .
Senior members Vijay Kumar, Suraj Parkash, Dinesh Kesar, Krishan Chand, Jagdish Magotra, Sham Singh, Karan Singh, Rattan Lal, Mohan Singh and others were also present on the occasion.