JAMMU: The 596th day of the PHE/Jal Shakti Department workers’ and daily wagerers’ dharna was observed outside the Chief Engineer’s office at B C Road in Jammu. These unfortunate workers are demonstrating in favour of their demand to have their services treated regularly and to have their unpaid salaries released. The Department has not released their about seventy-five-month-old arrears. Their regularisation is still pending, despite the administration of the LG providing promises. For the past 596 days, they have been on strike and holding a protest dharna in front of the Chief Engineer’s office at PHE/Jal Shakti Department Jammu. Since June 22, 2022, Jal Shakti labourers have been on strike, calling for the payment of their outstanding payments and the regularisation of their employment.Even with the guarantee of the Lieutenant Governor, their problems could not be resolved after multiple rounds of discussions with senior authorities in the department. Under the banner of PHE United Front, a sizable contingent of PHE employees from several Divisions and Sub-Divisions in the Jammu district gathered outside the Chief Engineer PHE Jammu’s office on BC Road and staged a forceful protest demonstration today. They were yelling chants against the BJP, the LG’s Administration, and other higher officials in the J&K UT as well as in favour of their demands. Until they receive justice, the employees’ representatives—Ravi Hans, Rajinder Singh Taj, Hoshiar Singh, Navdeep Singh, Mohan Lal, and others—said they would not stop their struggle. These defenceless labourers are requesting regularisation, raising the minimum wage in J&K, UT, in accordance with Central Government guidelines, and releasing more than 75 months’ worth of wages. They said that the government was not paying them for their hard-earned money and that they were being exploited to the worst extent possible by personnel in charge of affairs.
