Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 16: Police charged batons and arrested over a dozen employees of Urban Local Bodies Department while they tried to march towards the city centre here in the morning.
The protesters were demanding release of their pending salaries along with the payment of first installment of arrears under the Sixth Pay Commission.
This morning employees under the banner of Urban Local Bodies Employees United Forum (ULBEUF) assembled at the Old Secretariat and staged a strong protest in support of their demands. The protesters were addressed by Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, president ULBEUF and some other leaders of the Forum.
Putting forward the demands, Manzoor said that the Local Bodies Department should be reorganized and the employees should be given 61 percent House Rent Allowance (HRA)/ Dearness Allowance (DA). Manzoor said that the services of daily wagers and consolidated employees working in the Department should be regularized. He demanded that daily wagers and consolidated employees, especially the sanitation staff should be paid monthly wages of Rs. 3750 instead of Rs. 1800/2100. He demanded creation of more staff in the Urban Local Bodies under SRO-214 dated May 23, 2008.
“The benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission have not accrued to the employees of the Urban Local Bodies Department. The Government should immediately order for the release of 20 percent arrears for the employees of Urban Local Bodies Department. There is a need to put in place a transparent and effective time bound policy of the employees within the Department,” said Manzoor.
Manzoor further said that seniority of every cadre should be established in the Department adding that divisional as well as State Level Departmental Promotional Committees should be held regularly. He said establishment related issues of the employees including leave salary, time bound promotion, compensation under SRO-43 cases and family pension cases should be solved at the earliest.
Seeking the attention of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Manzoor said the employees are living from hand to mouth since their salaries are pending for the last five months. He demanded immediate release of the pending salaries.
From Old Secretariat the employees marched towards the office of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Dr. Asghar Samoon and presented him the charter of demands. The employees apprised Dr. Samoon about the issues confronting them and appealed him to intervene and get their issues solved.
The employees then moved towards the Press Enclave here and raised slogans there. They were carrying banners and placards in their hands. The protesting employees had plans to move through the city centre but the posses of police personnel present at Press Enclave stopped them and didn’t allow them to move further. The police action was resisted by some of the protesting employees and they tried to break free the cordon. On this the police swooped on them and resorted to lathi-charge on them. These protesters were bundled by police in vehicles and were lodged at police station, Kothi Bagh.
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