| Strike by PHE daily wagers hits water supply across J&K | | Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink | | G S Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 3: The ongoing strike of causal labourers and daily wagers of the Public Health and Engineering (PHE) Department has badly affected water supply across the state particularly in Jammu district. From last two days, the All J&K PHE, ITI-Trained and CP Workers Association, an amalgam of various daily wagers' bodies, has been staging protests in favour of their regularization.
An official said the PHE Department of Jammu, with the help of permanent employees, has been able to supply nearly 40 percent water (14 million gallons per day) against the demand of 35 million gallons. He said similar situation was prevailing in Kathua and Samba districts. In Kathua, only 30 percent potable water has been supplied while in Samba the figure stands at 40 percent. "Due to non-availability of potable water, the people in rural areas are compelled to consume filthy water of ponds," the official said.
According to national norms, one person should be provided 30 gallons (135 liters) of potable water every day for various purposes. However, in Jammu city, the PHE Department has been reportedly providing only 23 gallons of water per person per day. "And since the strike by the PHE daily wagers, the department has provided only 14 gallons (63 litres) of potable water per person per day," said another employee who is working at a filtration plant. He said that due to non-availability of manpower, most of the plants across the state have partially closed due to which people have been facing lot of problems.
"The Finance Minister had assured both houses during the last Assembly session that the government would soon constitute a high power committee to frame a policy for regularization of the PHE daily wagers. But so far neither the government has constituted any committee nor gives any assurance to daily wagers who are on strike from last two days," he added.
Meanwhile, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Choudhary Sukhnandan said he has already sent a communiqué to General Administrative Department (GAD) to constitute a sub committee for redressal of the daily wagers' demands.
He expressed hope that a decision regarding constitution of committee would be taken in the next cabinet meeting. |
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