JAMMU: All of the electrical engineers in JK UT will take a protest leave of absence in support of the long-standing demands of the Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) of the Power Development Department, it was announced on Tuesday. Sachin Tickoo, president of JKEEGA, spoke at a press conference while flanked by members of the Executive Council, including Rajeshwar Jamwal, Sunil Gupta, Jahangir Ahmed, Gulshan Bhagat, Yash Paul, Vishal Singh Chib, and others. He expressed grave concern over the excessive delay in filling open positions throughout the department’s hierarchy, which has negatively impacted not only the morale of the officers but also the provision of public.He claimed that the Government had broken promises made under the terms of the deal, which was reached on December 21, 2021, between government representatives and power employees following a four-day standoff, even nearly two years later. Tickoo reported that all Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, and Executive Engineers who are members of the Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association attended the meeting of its apex body, the Guidance Council, which was held in Jammu and Srinagar, respectively, on this issue.The Council discussed the step-motherly treatment given to PDD engineers who have been denied promotions despite there being over 750 openings in the engineering hierarchy, including one Managing Director position, three Executive Director positions, five Chief Engineer positions, fourteen Superintending Engineer positions, 61 Executive Engineer positions, 132 Assistant Ex Engineer positions, 164 Assistant Engineer positions, and approximately 350 Junior Engineer positions.It is important to note that the SAC’s decision dated 23.10.2019 requested that regular promotions be completed within two months, but despite the passage of four years, none of the engineers currently employed by various Power Corporations have received even one regular promotion. The substantive ranks of Assistant Engineers and Superintending Engineers are held by the Chief Engineers, while Junior Engineers are held by those below them.The administration has already received the notice from the JKEEGA.They will congregate at the PDD complex in Gladni Jammu and Bemina, Srinagar, to organise a 24-hour work stoppage and a peaceful one-day demonstration. In Srinagar, JKEEGA general secretary Pirzada Hidayatullah also announced that, in response to the JKUT administration’s callous attitude, all power engineers will take a day of protest leave on September 9.
