Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: The Jammu and Kashmir Diploma Engineers Association (JKDEA) of the Power Development Department (PDD) led by Jaipal Sharma has supported the Jammu Kashmir Electric Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEFA) for observing protest leave on Sept 9.
Talking to media-persons at Press Club here today Jaipal Sharma, president, flanked by B K Kesar, Sanjay Sharma, JP Singh, Vikas Sangra and others expressed serious concern over the inordinate delay in filling up of vacant positions across the hierarchy of the department, which has severely dented not only the morale of the officers/ engineers but also badly affected the delivery of the public service.
JKDEA president further alleged that government has failed to fulfill commitments even after nearly two years, made under the legal framework of the agreement dated 21-12-2021 signed between representatives of the Government and the Power employees after four days of confrontation/strike.
Sharma referred to the step-motherly treatment being faced by the Engineers of the PDD as the competent authority has been delaying the promotions despite more than 750 vacancies from JE to Chief Engineers/MD/ED level are lying vacant. He said one post of MD, three posts of EDs, 5 posts of Chief Engineers, 14 posts of SEs, 61 posts of XEns, 132 posts of AEEs, 164 posts of AEs and 350 posts of JEs are lying vacant in the PDD. The functioning of the department has been affected at various levels, but department is not filling up these posts.
The proposal is lying with the competent authority for the last 7-8 months but the placements have been delayed for the reason best known to the people at the helm of affairs. Many times presentations were given to the higher authorities in this regard. He said that Diploma engineers will fully support the protest leave call given by JKEEGA for Sept 9. All the diploma engineers will abstain from work for 24 hours on this day, he added.