Excelsior Correspondent
—Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, June 30: Demanding release of dues pending for last four years in their favour, the Voluntary Retired Scheme (VRS) and Golden Handshake Scheme (GHS) employees of the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) held a protest dharna at Exhibition ground, Press Club here today.
Amid slogans ‘we want justice’, the demonstrators criticized the callous attitude of the State Government and the adamant approach of transport authorities towards them with regard to releasing of their dues, despite their repeated demonstrations.
The demonstration was held under the supervision of Dev Raj Bali, president VRS Union and S Surinder Singh, general secretary.
Alleging authorities for harassment for unknown reasons, the demonstrators said that due to non-release of the dues, eight VRS/GHS employees have died as they could not afford proper treatment to their diseases.
Charging the Department of Finance and the SRTC Management for playing foul play, the demonstrators appealed the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to intervene in the matter personally and solve their long pending problem at an earliest.
The demonstrators claimed that an amount of Rs 30, 16, 10, 673 of 742 VRS/GHS employees of the State is pending with the Government, which includes leave salary, gratuity, ex-gratia and pending arrears since 1999.
The demonstrators claimed that they had taken VRS/GHS on the assurances of the State Government that their dues will be released within 60 days.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Kulbir Singh, JD Singh, B V Sharma, Subash Singh, Surjit Singh, Surinder Singh and Sain Mohd.
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