Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 3: 1770 casual workers of Tourism department, who have not been paid for over 24 months, are likely to gift their protest to the Chief Minister this Eid.
Sources told Early Times that the unpaid casual workers of Tourism department Kashmir are forced to 'celebrate' Eid-Ul-Fitr on footpath in front Chief Minister Residence.
"Director, Secretary and Minister Tourism have withheld our salaries from July 2014", said a casual worker narrating his miseries'. He said that their children were not allowed to sit in schools due to nonpayment of school fee.
"One casual Labourer in Pattan had attempted suicide because his kids were thrown out from school. The parents of causal workers, who are suffering from various ailments, are unable to buy medicines for their parents", he said. "Govt is claiming that it will regularize 61000 casual, and need based workers, but due to unknown reasons we are being disengaged."
"We are working in the department from last 10 to 12 years and we have spent our prime to serve the department, where do we go now?", questioned the casual worker, requesting Chief Minister to rescue poor employees.
"Even department is not implementing the High Court direction of releasing our pending wages and restore our position. They are forcing us to choose wrong path to get our rights", he added.
Ridiculing government decision to hike in salaries and perks of legislators and Ministers, these employees ask form where the government gets funds for the hike. "It is very unfortunate, we are being denied small amount while state exchequer is being drained for the welfare of legislators and ministers", he added.
Farooq Ahmad Shah, Secretary Tourism Department said that salaries of these employees were not paid due to paucity of funds. "There are 61000 casual workers in various government departments, government will take decision in the matter", he said. |
