Srinagar, January 11: Apni Party Senior Vice-President Ghulam Hassan Mir on Monday expressed deep concern over the plight of causal/daily wagers who are awaiting regularization even after rendering decades of their unflinching services in different government departments across Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued to news agency-kashmir news service (KNS), Mir said that once in a while there are various protests and sit-ins organized by different casual/daily wager associations of J&K in order to convey their grievances to those in authority. However, he added, their concerns have been always met with apathy. This has substantially worsened their living conditions.
“Not less than 60000 daily wagers, casual laborers, consolidated, contingency paid, ITI skilled, NYC, ASHA, HDF workers deliver their untiring services in different government departments like Sericulture, PHE, Forest, PWD, I&FC, PDD, Sericulture, health department, agriculture, horticulture, Water Testing Laboratory, SMC, JMC, etc. From the last two decades they have worked diligently for the smooth functioning of Government work. But it’s quite unfortunate that such an adroit section has to go on strikes for demanding their rightful wages,” he said.
He further said that the condition of daily wagers/casual Labourers in the Department of Sericulture has gone deplorable. They work for a full year but only receive wages for six months. He said, “The condition of such labourers and daily wagers in the department of Sericulture is appalling. Their salaries remain held up even for six months. That is a matter of grave concern. The families of these labourers must be facing unspeakable difficulties. The government should take a serious note of this injustice.”
“I implore the Hon’ble Lt. Governor to take immediate steps in this regard and pave way for the long pending issue of regularization of the hapless workers as soon as possible. Moreover, till then majors like releasing of pending salaries mixed with enhancing the pay scale should also be done on priority basis. I firmly believe that this time the grievances of the daily wagers/casual labourers will not go unheard,” he pleaded.(KNS)