6TH PAY COMMISSION ROW
Srinagar, Dec 30: A complete lockout of government and semi-government offices was observed in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday by the employees to press for the implementation of sixth pay commission recommendations.
 On the call of employees’ Joint Consultative Committee, conglomerate of various employees associations, around four lakh employees remained away from the duties. Work in offices remained suspended in all regions of the state including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
 Strike proved a disruption for the healthcare sector, as work in the out patient departments remained affected in almost all hospitals across the state. However, the emergencies and operation theatres remained functional.
 Insiders at SK Institute of Medical Sciences said the hospital saw a thin attendance of staff, affecting work in laboratories, testing centres and OPDs.  “Only emergencies and OTs were completely functional,” said an insider, wishing anonymity.
 Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Dr Muhammad Amin Tabish, said the OPD was working and several surgeries were conducted throughout the day.
 “Only two surgeries were postponed during the day,” he said. 
 Work remained affected in SMHS, Lal Ded, Bone and Joints and other hospitals. Principal government medical college, Dr Shahida Mir said the paramedics were absent from the hospitals.
 “In SMHS, OPD was closed but LD hospital was completely functional where hundreds of people were treated and several surgeries were conducted during the day. Thin attendance of paramedics remained in the hospitals,” she said.
 Many offices in old secretariat wore a deserted look leaving the visitors to the offices fuming. “I came from Varmul, but it was saddening to see the offices closed due to strike,” said Abdul Majeed waiting outside income tax office in old secretariat.
 The employees have been demanding implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendation, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60, regularization of daily wagers, release of house rent allowance and other demands. It is for the third time this year that around four lakh employees are up in arms against the state for “disregard” to their demands.
 The tussle between the state and employees resurfaced on last Wednesday when hundreds of employees took to streets seeking implementation of the agreement reached out between them on August 18.  The government, in the agreement, had agreed to accept the demands of the employees and also release their arrears under sixth pay commission by October end.
 The member JCC and President Employees’ joint action committee (Q), Abdul Qayoom Wani, held government responsible for employees’ agitation and inconvenience to public.
 “Government has left us with no option but to protest on streets. If they want the agitation to end, they should implement the agreement and accept all our demands.”
 “Instead it is coming up with agreement after agreement without implementation.  It is difficult to understand why government has exempted local bodies, Municipal Corporations and several public sector corporations from sixth pay commission. It has not even released the arrears by October end as was promised in the agreement,” he said.
 JCC has called a high level meeting of its 30 leaders from across state in Jammu on January 5. “We will decide the future program there and government will have to face a tough time in the first month of 2010 until it accepts our demands,” Qayoom said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 IST