Protest for regularization, wages continues outside CE’s office

PHE workers staging protest dharna outside Chief Engg’s office at B C Road in Jammu on Friday. -Excelsior/ Rakesh
PHE workers staging protest dharna outside Chief Engg’s office at B C Road in Jammu on Friday. -Excelsior/ Rakesh

PHE workers’ dharna enters 596th day

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 9: The PHE/ Jal Shakti Department workers and daily wagers’ dharna entered 596th day outside the office of Chief Engineer PHE/ Jal Shakti, at B C Road Jammu today. These hapless workers are protesting in support of their demand for regularization of their services and release of their pending wages.
The Department has failed to release their pending wages of about 75 months. Despite assurances by the LG’s administration their regularisation is still awaited. Their strike and protest dharna continued for the last 596 days, outside the office of Chief Engineer, PHE / Jal Shakti Department Jammu.
Jal Shakti workers are on strike since June 22, 2022, demanding release of their pending wages and regularization of their services. Despite several rounds of talks with higher authorities in the department, their issues could not be resolved despite Lt Governor’s assurance.
A large number of PHE workers from various Divisions and Sub- Divisions in Jammu district, assembled outside the office of Chief Engineer PHE Jammu, at BC Road, under the banner of PHE United Front and held strong protest demonstration today. They were shouting slogans in support of their demands and also against LG’s Administration, BJP and other higher authorities in the J&K UT.
The employees representatives including, Ravi Hans, Rajinder Singh Taj, Hoshiar Singh, Navdeep Singh, Mohan Lal and others claimed that they will continue their agitation till justice is accorded to them. These helpless workers are demanding regularization, enhancement of minimum wages as per Central Government norms in J&K UT and release of over 75 months wages. They said that they were facing worst kind of exploitation at the hands of officers at the helms of affairs and their hard earned money is not being paid by the Government.