Srinagar, Sept 20: The State Road Transport Corporation employees have decided to hold protests on Eid-ul Fitr demanding pending salaries of past four months and one-time solution to their problems.
 The SRTC workers association has decided to hold Eid prayers at respective district headquarters which would be followed by ‘peaceful’ protest rallies.
 “There will be no sloganeering. It will be a token protest to tell the coalition government that while they are celebrating Eid, our families are craving for two time meals,” president of the association, Shakeel Ahmad Kuchee, told Greater Kashmir.
 He said the employees from Budgam and Srinagar would gather at the Tourist Reception Centre here to participate in the protest rally.
 “In every district, the rallies will be held from headquarters after the Eid prayers. But the employees from Budgam and Srinagar will offer prayers at TRC Masjid and then we will stage the rally,” he added.
 The employees have been on indefinite strike since August 26. Apart from pending salaries, the employees have been demanding a firm policy from the government for revival or closure of the corporation.
 They have staged several protest marches which were dealt severely by the authorities. Around 30 employees, including the president, were injured in tear gas shelling and baton charge by police on two separate protest marches recently.
 Kuchee said the government has been trying to defer the issue rather than looking for a solution. He said the Association was called into a meeting with the minister for transport, Qamar Ali Akhoon, and the concerned commission/secretary.
 “They were offering us Rs 4.30 crore which is just one month salary bill of the corporation. Besides, SRTC has enough funds to pay for another month but there was no consideration for pending salaries of rest two months,” he said.
 He said the offer was rejected as it was incomprehensive and would again force the employees onto streets. “After Eid we again have to go on strike for pending two months salaries. The offer was no solution and it was just an attempt to make us suspend the strike.”
 Desperate attempts to contact minister for transport could not bare fruit.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 IST