Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 5: RK Kalsotra, State President, All India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC Organisations J&K sat on a ‘dhara’ today to highlight the demands of ‘safai karamcharis’ and support ‘dharna’ being observed by them.
The ‘dharna’ was observed by maintaining social distance and observing the rules of lockdown.
Kalsotra said that the demands of ‘safai karamcharis’ were genuine and appealed to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Union Territory for considering the same and finding immediate solutions with respectful negotiations and stakeholder involvement.
“Confederation had mailed the LG the demands of ‘safai karamcharis’ and a call for strike by workers on May 5, but no heed was paid to those demands, thus, Confederation had to support the cause of ‘safai karamcharis’ and hold a ‘dharna’ alongside them,” Kalsotra added.
He said ‘safai karamcharis’ were raising issues for the better standard of living and they were not getting any attention from the Government regarding their grievances which included reinstating some of their employees who were absent due to lockdown; release of last 9 months salary of 139 promoted ‘safai karamcharis’; 50 lakh insurance cover for employees; release of arrears of regularized employees of 2005, 2008 and 2010; filling of atleast 600 post of backlog and supplying of mask, proper clothes and santizers, PPE kits.
Kalsotra further said that these demands of ‘safai karamcharis’ do not require huge financial investments but effective grievance redressal mechanism.
He said safaikaramcharis were frontline workers who risk their lives in times of COVID-19 and insuring their basic amenities should be paramount need of the hour as they are at highest risks of contracting COVID.
Kalsotra said that the Govt should pay heed to their problems immediately by reaching out to the dharna and reaching out a conclusion with respectful dialogue.
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