Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Sept,30:-As a part of nationwide call for Demand Day on September 30, by Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI) ,the construction workers unions like Nirman Mazdoor Union –Jammu & Bhawan Nirman Kamgar Union- Kathua observed and organized protest rally and dharna at different places.
Holding red flags, banners and placards, shouting slogans in favour of their long pending genuine demands, the rally marched through the bazaars and culminated at the office of Tesildar Jourian, and Deputy Commissioner- Kathua and handed over memorandums to the concerned authorities.
While addressing the rally at Kathua, Raj Kumar, general secretary of Bhawan Nirman Kamgar Union- Kathua said that benefits of various schemes made by J&K Welfare Board constituted under Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Condition of services) Act 1996 don’t actually reach to the genuine workers not even to those who are registered under the said Act. He added that the claims like scholarship of children, pension, accidental claims, housing loans, claim of medical treatment, Group Insurance, maternity benefit to female workers are not being sanctioned and have been lying pending for years together. The registration applications of genuine workers are not being entertained and forged registrations are being made for the persons who are not construction workers, the poor workers have been harassed on account of unnecessary formalities.
Ajit Raj, president of Nirman Mazdoor Union addressed the gathering at Jourian. He said that workers are being harassed on account of inaccessible formalities despite stay order issued by High Court of the State against Circular No.12 dated 04.06.2015 of CEO, J&K Building & other Construction Workers Welfare Board, he further said that some of registration applications have been lying pending for the last two years.
Both the leaders called upon the workers to strengthen their unity and intensify their struggle against anti workers policy and delaying tactics of Welfare Board. Other spoke on this occasion Jit Ram, Naresh, Som Raj, Rattan Lal, Kali, Jung Bahadur, Ramesh and Bodh Raj.