Srinagar, Nov 8: Ahead of the proposed ‘Secretariat gherao’ by the striking Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation employees, authorities on Sunday imposed section-144 around the civil secretariat in Jammu.
 “We have been left with no other option other than to impose section-144 as there are so many protests going on in Jammu. The section will remain in force for the next 2-months,” a top police official told Greater Kashmir.    
 “No processions by any group or individual will be allowed in the area. Neither will anyone be allowed to raise any provocative slogan,” he added.
 The SRTC workers union, apex body of the workers spearheading the ongoing agitation, has called for ‘Secretariat gherao’ in the winter capital on Thursday. Around 2500 employees from across the state who are stationed in Jammu are busy making final preparations for the program. Employees include 1500 employees from Jammu and 1000 employees from Kashmir who marched 300 Kms on-foot from Tourist Reception Centre here to reach Jammu on Friday.
 The chairman SRTC workers association, Shakeel Ahmad Kuchee, said that they won’t suspend the program despite the imposition of section-144.
 “We have given 3-days to government to address our demands. If our demands are not met we will go ahead with our programme off secretariat gherao,” he said.          
 Kuchee said the call had been given after the meeting of SRTC workers’ command council. He said the employees from Kashmir were staying-put in Narwal, Railway Headquarter and Vikram Chowk. The employees, he said, had been regularly organizing sit-in at different places in Jammu, though there haven’t been any protest marches.
 “The secretariat gherao will be our first protest rally in Jammu,” he said, adding other employees from Kashmir would be joining them soon in the second phase of the march.
 The employees have been on an indefinite strike for the past over two months demanding pending salaries and one time solution to their problems. Several protest marches were held here in the summer capital. The employees’ Joint Consultative Committee, apex body of employees in Jammu and Kashmir, also observed  one-day  strike last week to express solidarity with the SRTC employees. 
 “No one has approached us for any negotiations nor has there been any statement from the state government. It seems the government is least bothered about us,” he added. 
 The Managing Director of SRTC, Anoop Kannaw, said the demands of the employees would be put forth before the Commissioner Secretary Finance after the darbar opens.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Nov 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 9 Nov 2009 00:00:00 IST