Srinagar, May 12: Despite the intervention of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah’s office, the causal labourers posted in agriculture department in central Kashmir’s Budgam district are yet to receive their wages.
 The workers told Greater Kashmir that they were running from pillar to post to get their wages released for past several months, but of no avail.
 “We have approached everybody including Agriculture minister and CM’s office, but our repeated pleas have fallen to deaf ears,” they said.
 According to the aggrieved labourers, the CM’s office had directed Agriculture department to take appropriate action in the matter, after they approached it.
 A letter number 71/Pos.Adv/210 dated 26.11.2010 was dispatched by CM’s office to the department seeking necessary action for release of wages.
 “I have been directed to forward it to you with the request to kindly take appropriate action in the matter,” the officer on special duty of CM’s Political Advisor wrote to the director Agriculture.
 They said they were facing financial problems due to withholding of their wages. “I have to feed six family members from this meager salary and I haven’t received a single penny this year,” said Nazir Ahmed.
 They threatened to stage protests if their wages were not released forthwith.
 “We won’t behave as mute spectator and will take to streets. The Government is spending crores of rupees for comforts of their ministers, but why they are not releasing this small amount,” they questioned.
 They added that wages amounting to Rs 1.50 crores were pending with the department.
 The Chief Agriculture Officer Budgam vide his letter number COAB/Actt-18/4595 dated 03-03-2011informed Accounts officer of directorate that Rs 1, 49, 56,857 were required to pay their salaries.
 When contacted, Chief Agriculture Officer Budgam Zaffar Hakak said he was pursuing their case. “I am on the job of getting their salaries released,” he said.
 Meanwhile, hundreds of causal labourers in Animal Husbandry department are also without wages from several months.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 IST