Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: The work in Government and Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) offices remained affected on the second consecutive day today with the ongoing strike of employees in the region while the Joint Consultative Committee of the employees leadership has decided to observe three day strike on May 24, 25 and 26 in the State.
On the second day of the strike call given by the JCC, a large number of employees assembled at their respective offices and held strong protest demonstrations. They sat on day long dharna and shouted slogans in support of their demands. Many employees were carrying banners and placards in their hands, depicting their demands.
Due to ongoing strike of the State Government employees, the general public had to suffer as the strike was observed in the entire State on the call given by JCC leadership including Abdul Qayoom Wani, Khursheed Alam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Gafoor Dar, Kulwant Singh, Balwan Singh Jamwal, Rafiq Khaniyari, Ganesh Khajuria, Devanand Gill, Parshotam Sharma, Madan Sangral, Amrik Singh, Nazir Ahmed, Babu Hussain, Balvinder Singh and others.
All the sections of State Government, Public Sector Undertakings, temporary and permanent employees observed nearly complete strike. The employees held demonstrations, staged dharnas at district and tehsil headquarters to lodge their protest against the Government. In majority of the offices in the region, the work was affected due to strike but in some of the offices, the work continued though the attendance was thin. The emergency units in hospitals and other essential services had been kept out of the purview of strike. They alleged that the Government has failed to honour its commitment and address pending issues including 6th Pay Commission arrears, regularization, pay anomalies, enhancement of retirement age etc. The alleged that the agreements reached during meeting with employees’ leaders on 19-2-2009, 14-5-2010 and on September 15, 2011 were not honoured. They said several representations were given to the Government from time to time but it remained unmoved.
JCC leaders further alleged that Government has done nothing to formulate the policy for regularization of casual, seasonal and daily rated workers. The committees constituted by the Government for enhancement of retirement of age from 58 to 60 years and for removal of pay anomalies in different cadre, have not done their job within the framework of stipulated time. The PSU workers are being deprived of the Sixth Pay Commission benefits, arrears, DA, linking it with profit and loss.
In Jammu, large protests and dharnas were witnessed at Agricultrure Complex Talab Tillo, Horticulture, DSE office Muthi, Directorate of Health, JMC, JDA, Department of Economic and Statistics, Udyog Bhawan Rail Head complex, PDD, R&B, RDD, Govt Press, Forest, Sales Tax & Excise, CAPD etc. A team of employees leaders including Amrik Singh, Arun Moza, Uttam Chand, Jaswant Singh, Madan Sangral, Zaffar Ullah and others visited various offices complexes and addressed the employees in Jammu city. These leaders also condemned police lathicharge on employees at Srinagar today.
Reports from Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Reasi said that similar protest demonstrations were held by employees and the normal works remained affected. The emergency units of the hospitals, operational staff of urban local bodies, PHE and PDD remained out of the purview of the strike.
Meanwhile J&K Central Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union in a meeting held under the leadership of Ch Mohd Aslam at Janipur today strongly condemned the police lathicharge on the employees at Srinagar.
United Forum of Central, State, Public Sector Trade Unions in an emergency meeting held under the leadership of Ashwani Pradhan here condemned the police lathicharge and arrest of employees taking out protest march in Srinagar today. They appealed the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to desist from gagging the voice of employees and address their genuine and justified demands. United School Teachers Association provincial unit in a meeting held under the leadership of Hari Singh also condemned brutal lathicharge on Government employees.
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