Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 24: The district wise protest dharnas of Female Multipurpose Health Workers (FMPHWs) for release of their pending salaries, entered into 9th day, today.
The main protest dharna held here at Madam Shashi Bala Memorial Park under the supervision of Sushil Sudan, president, Jammu Kashmir Medical Employees Federation (JKMEF), where the day started with roaring of slogans in support of their demands.
Vinod Sharma, secretary general, JKMEF, who was the principal speaker of the day, added soul to the protest dharna and shared a number of past experiences and encouraged the Female Multipurpose Health Workers for their struggle. Besides, he strongly condemned the State Government’s irresponsible behavior towards struggling FMPHW’s.
“It is a sheer mockery that on one hand schemes and programs are launched for women empowerment and at the same time the women who are working round the clock for rendering better health facilities to the society are left without salaries for more than a year”, he added.
Neelam Kumari, general secretary of FMPHWs’ Welfare Association, in her address, appealed the higher Authorities to redress the issue of salaries of Female Multipurpose Health Workers which was due for more than a year’s time and its permanent solution at the earliest otherwise the protests will be exaggerated.
The protesting employees also burnt the effigy of J&K Government at Indira Chowk as a symbol of protest. Similar protest dharnas were held at all district headquarters of Jammu province.
Meanwhile a meeting of all the affiliated units, block presidents and general secretaries of JKMEF held here today, wherein it was unanimously decided that JKMEF will observe token strike for three hours on May 30 and 31. An ultimatum regarding the proposed token strike was also submitted to the Director Health services, Jammu and he was requested to take up the matter with concerned higher authorities so that the genuine demands of the female multipurpose workers may be fulfilled at the earliest.