Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 17: Forest officials from various Forest Divisions today held a strong protest demonstration at Dogra Hall Forest Complex here today.
The Forest employees, under the banner of All J&K Non-Gazetted Forest Officers Association, Jammu province, assembled in the office complex of Chief Conservator of Forests at Dogra Hall in the morning and started protest in support of their long pending demands. They were raising loud slogans in support of their demands.
Provincial president of NGFOA for Jammu Ravi Kumar was leading. After staging protest demonstration for some time, the employees struck work and sat on day long protest dharna in the Forest offices complex. Ravi Kumar and several other trade unionists including Sukhbir Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Ajit Raj and Rajesh Bakshi addressed the gathering and criticised the higher authorities in the department for adopting delaying tactics to address their issues. They said that Forest employees are feeling discriminated viz-a-viz the Patwaris, VLWs and constables in J&K Police.
They were demanding removal of pay anomalies, risk allowance and two and half days extra pay, enhancement of 135 posts of Range Officers Grade-II, upgradation of the J&K Forest Ministerial staff, promotional avenues for both field and ministerial staff, regularisation of daily rated workers engaged prior to ban and clearance of pending SRO 43 cases.
Meanwhile, in Bhaderwah scores of employees of Forest Department today staged protest demonstrations at Forest Complex Bhaderwah under the banner of J&K Non -Gazetted Forest Officers Association.
Protesters started assembled in the morning and raised pro-justice slogans. Speaking on the occasion acting President of the association for Bhaderwah unit, Abdul Hafeez Dar demanded removal of pay anomalies of forest guard / foresters, release of two and half day salary, early conduct of DPC of Foresters etc..
He also lashed out at State Government for delaying polices regarding their genuine demands. After protest demonstration agitating employees also took out a procession which after passing through various complexes culminated outside the gate of DFO office.
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