Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Apr 27: Up in arm against alleged non-adherence of Labour laws and less wages, labourers and workers of different construction companies, engaged at Chenani-Nashri tunnel held a token protest and apprised the visiting Congress MLA G M Saroori of their issues.
MLA Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori met the angry workers holding protest demonstration against Government inaction and indifference towards their genuine and legitimate demands. The protesting workers apprised Mr Saroori of their pending demands which include implementation of Labour laws and Minimum Wages Act, non-payment of the salaries, wages in lieu of overtime, safeguard equipments, engagement of local labourers, termination of outsider labourers, non-adherence of Labour laws by the companies, grant of casual, earned and medical leave.
Addressing the workers, Mr Saroori said that the basic right to protest in favour of demands is being crushed whenever people demonstrate. He said that the workers are denied basic statuary facilities and are also being subjected to unlawful victimization in terms of basic rights whenever they protest through a strong contractor management-administration-police nexus.
Saroori lamented that the workers at Chenani-Nashri tunnel are not being paid even minimum wages, not covered under social benefits like Employees Provident Fund Act, not being paid their allowances for overtime and there is no sufficient safety mechanism available to them.
He asked Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Labour Commissioner and official of Construction Company to address the genuine demands of workers at an earliest. He also assured the workers that if the DC Udhampur and other officials didn’t take any step in addressing these issues he will raise the same in the upcoming Assembly session.
The MLA also inspected the construction work of the tunnel at Chenani. He was accompanied by officials of Nashri Tunnel. The 9 kms, 2-lane main tunnel is in completion stage to link Chenani with Nashri in Ramban area to shorten 31 kms of the journey making the travel smooth and comfortable.
At Doda, Saroori met with AD CAPD Doda Sayed Ahmed and CPO Doda Yoginder Katoch and alleged severe shortage of ration in the far flung areas of the district. He said many Government ration depots have turned defunct as there was shortage of ration.
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