Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 11: In order to discuss various issues confronting the labourers/workers engaged in construction of Railway projects in Katra-Reasi and Barala-Sangaldaan areas, State level executive body meeting of the JKPDTU was held under the chairmanship of Suresh Sharma
After threadbare discussion, Sharma lamented the worst service conditions of the labourers engaged by different private contractors/agencies for executing Railway projects in Reasi/Katra and Sangaldan Brala. “The companies, particularly Patel Engineering, ITD and UTM have let loose a rein of terror amongst the poor labourers by their musclemen whenever these workers try to raise their voice against the inhuman and injustice meted-out to them,” he alleged while criticizing the management of these private companies for violating Labour laws.
The JKPDTU leader further alleged that labourers were not being paid minimum wages and twice DA increase in a year as announced by Ministry of Labour Affairs, GoI. “No allowances like Tunnel, Dust, Medical allowance and no OT cards as admissible under law are being issued by these companies. Moreover these companies/contractors are not issuing monthly wage slip to the workers. Neither any development works under CSR are executed,” he said
Further claiming that the workers who raise voice against these atrocities are terminated without following any procedures, Suresh Sharma appealed the Union Labour Minister as well as Finance and Labour Minister J&K, Altaf Bukhari and Regional Labourer Commissioner Jammu to proceed against these companies for violating Labouer Laws and Provident Fund Act . “It is surprising to note that PF deducted is being deposited by Patel Engineering in a Private Trust at Mumbai instead of J&K under rules,” he alleged.
Mr Sharma along with B N Singh (vice president JKPDTU) and Puran Chander (Distt. president Reasi) warned the representatives of Patel, ITD and UTM to mend their ways as JKPDTU will not be a silent spectator to the exploitive policies of the companies and injustice will be fought with full force under Trade Union Act.
The executive body of the JKPDTU also decided to file separate claims of less payment against these companies to the tune of about Rs 50 lacs in the court of Regional Labour Commissioner, Jammu.
The meeting was attended by Mangal Singh, Sujan Singh, Ravi Vishal, Joginder Singh, Moh Aslam, Pawan Kumar, Angrez Singh, Balwan Singh and others.
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