Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 7: Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) today expressed serious concern over the sad and untimely demise of Gurdev Singh Sodhi, Assistant Executive Engineer who was performing his official duties in the Power Development Department throughout this Pandemic COVID-19 , contracted infection and succumbed to the virus after battling for nearly one and half month in DMC Ludhiana.
JKEEGA has time and again approached government to bring the Power Employees under the ambit of the COVID-19 Insurance Scheme meant for the front line workers and it is deplorable that Power employees have been left out of the scheme even though it is not possible to imagine any service possible without the contribution of the Power sector. The Power employees have been putting their strenuous efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the Pandemic to all the households, quarantine centers and hospitals. The Power employees have not shrug off from duties and never ignored even a household that is declared as COVID positive, containment zones and Red zones.
It is really agonizing that even though the COVID cases have taken toll of engineers and five engineers have lost lives to COVID-19 , yet there has been no step from the administration to announce compensation in favour of the next to the kin of deceased.
JKEEGA has strongly urged the Lieutenant Governor to issue instructions to the concerned quarters to extend the COVID insurance facility to the Power employees.
Meanwhile, PDD daily rated workers held protest at Mendhar and demanded their regularization and release of their wages. Local PDD Union leader, Mohd Sageer was leading the protest.