news details |
|
|
| Despite many casualties, PDD supporting staff yet to get compensation from government | | | Mir Farhat
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Apr 13: On April 8, a Power Development Department (PDD) casual labourer, Javaid Ahmad, while repairing a damaged electric line in a village in South Kashmir's Shopian district received a shock from the live wire and died. He is survived by his young wife, seven-year-old son and two year-old daughter.
Javaid's family will neither receive any compensation from the government nor will they get a job under SRO 43 as no government in the state has framed any policy yet to compensate the victims' families, despite the protracted struggle of these labourers for 13 years now. Sixty one labourers of PDD have lost their lives in the past many years and over 150 had to face amputation of their limbs due to the power shock, said Mohammad Shafi Bhat, President PDD Daily Wagers Association. He said PDD has 11, 398 labourers-daily wagers, casual and need basis- working across the state on a paltry amount of Rs. 3,500 for a month.
Shafi said that they have been struggling for decades now to press the governments for a compensation policy but of no use. Like the families of other labourers, who have died in the 'line of fire', Javaid's too will have to live a distraught life and grieve, while the authorities will never be moved.
"We are the back-bone of our department as we do dangerous manual jobs like repairing damaged wires, transformers and go to the corners of the residential areas. We are always in the line of fire," said Shafi. The President PDD Daily Wagers Association said that no government has been moved despite the fact that many of their colleagues have died on duty. He said those who defeated death and survived cannot work now.
After being left to fend for themselves, the survivors and the families of the victims then knock courts to fight for their right.
"Though the process in courts takes time but those who fight the legal battle get their right. Some families don't opt for it as they cannot afford the lawyers fee," said Shafi.
Following the death of Javaid, the association met the Chief Engineer, M&RE PDD to again press for the compensation. "The Chief Engineer pleaded helplessness. I told him to issue an order that no labourer should repair damaged wires, climb poles, and fit transformers" Shafi said, adding that such an order will save them from death on duty. He said that labourers are meant for digging ditches for poles, carry wires and distribute bills to consumers. "The permanent employees like linemen are meant for the job of repairing wires and transformers. But they ask us to do these activities. We have to follow their orders, else they threaten us of complaining to higher ups which would cost us our job," he said. A PDD official admitted that there is no policy for compensating the victims of electric shock. But he said that some 'lucky' cases get ex-gratia relief from the government. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
