As the stalemate between government and contractors is refusing to die down, the Kashmir Economic Alliance (Chapri group) has come in support of contractors stating that if the unpaid bills are not cleared within 24-hours, whole business community will come on roads to protest.
Over 30,000 contractors across Jammu and Kashmir haveboycotted all developmental works including road repairs in the state.
KEA (C) led by its chairman, Muhammad Yusuf Chapri whileparticipating in the protest demonstration at engineering complex Rajbagh heldby Joint Contractor’s Coordination Committee (JCCC) gave ultimatum to the stategovernment to clear unpaid bills of contractors, revoke SRO 186 within 24 hoursor face protests.
“It is unfortunate that government has failed to release thepayment of contractors who are cornerstones of development in the state. Wehave decided that in the fight for seeking release of their payments, KEA isproviding all the support to the contractors,” Chapri said.
“Governor Administration has utterly failed to deliver andthe lingering issue of contractors will further deprive the state fromundertaking development projects,” he said, adding, state administration isdirectly responsible if there will be delay in completion of works.
Co-chairman, JCCC, Farooq Ahmad Dar said that government haspushed contractors to bankruptcy. “It has become a social issue now, ascontractors have borrowed money from banks, people whom they are not able torepay which has become a cause ofembarrassment for contractors,” he said.
” We are not demanding anything unconstitutional, our demandonly to seek payment of bills on account of work done by us,” he said addingthat ” our work done are approved by the competent authorities and even PWDsecretary has sought funds from finance department, but the governoradministration seems to be indifferent towards miseries of the contractors.”
He said that JCCC would continue to protest and boycottdevelopment works till unpaid liabilities are cleared by the government.
Another co-chairman of JCCC, GhulamJeelaniPurza said thatadministration seems to be in slumber. “We have categorically informed thehigher ups in the government that if liabilities are not cleared, we won’tundertake any works in next financial year too,” he said.
Over 30,000 contractors in J&K are protesting, seekingrelease of their unpaid liabilities amounting to Rs 719 crore. The state’s PWDdepartment in this regard has urged the finance department to releaseadditional funds so that the liability of contractors is cleared. However, sofar there has not been any breakthrough as a result of which developmentalworks are halted across J&K.
Despite the Jammu and Kashmir government has earmarked Rs400 crore for macadamisation of roads across the state, the announcement ofboycott by the contractors on all developmental works due to pending bills hasput in jeopardy the important projects and necessary road repairs.