Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, June 7: Taking a cue from the Secretariat gherao programme carried out by employee organizations, the Urban Local Bodies’ employees today announced that they would march towards the Civil Secretariat on July 19 in support of their demands.
Addressing a press conference here, Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) member and President of his faction of Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), Abdul Qayoom Wani said that the State Government has failed to fulfill the demands of the Local Bodies’ employees. He said the march towards the Civil Secretariat would be a reminder to the State Government about the demands of Local Bodies’ employees pending for a long time.
“Time and again the Local Bodies’ employees have raised protest in support of their demands, but it has not made any difference to the State. From June 20, the Local Bodies’ employees would carry out phase wise agitation programme across the Kashmir valley. This would culminate with the Secretariat gherao programme on July 19,” said Qayoom.
The JCC member said that employees of 45 Municipal Committees and Councils of the Kashmir valley would march towards the Civil Secretariat on July 19. He said strong protests would be raised against the Government adding that the demands of the Local Bodies’ employees are genuine and they should be fulfilled.
“In case there is no difference and the demands of local bodies employees are not fulfilled then the employees would sit in front of the official residences of the bureaucrats and officers who always denied them their due rights. This would be a new phase of the employee revolution in the State and it would shake the entire machinery,” said Qayoom.
Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, President, Jammu and Kashmir Urban Local Bodies Employees United Forum (JKULBEUF) said that the indefinite strike proposed by the employees has been put off for the time being. Manzoor said the Government should fulfill their demands otherwise they would be forced to take the extreme step of resorting to indefinite strike.
“Due to the tourist season and also due to the difficulties that arise due to the strike we have for the time being decided not to press for the indefinite strike. But this does not mean we will sit back on our demands as there would be no let-up in our efforts for getting our due rights,” said Manzoor.
He said that salaries for the Local Bodies employees should be released as per the re-organization pattern under which 61 percent Dearness Allowance is payable to the employees. He said daily wagers and consolidated employees should be regularized. He said that time bound transfer policy should be applicable in the department.
Manzoor said that benefits like leave salary, SRO 43, family pension and commutation should be given to the local bodies employees. He said that divisional and State Level Departmental promotion Committee (DPC) meetings should be held regularly. He demanded release of 20 percent arrears to the Local Bodies’ employees under the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.
According to the protest schedule drawn by JKULBEUF, employees of Shopian and Pulwama districts would protest on June 20 followed by employees of Budgam district on June 27, Baramulla June 30, Bandipora July 3, Kupwara July 7 and Ganderbal July 10.
On July 11, the employees would carry out the protest at Directorate of Urban Local Bodies here while as on July 14 employees of Anantnag district would carry out protests in support of their demands. The agitation would culminate on July 19 with the march towards Civil Secretariat.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel