Without emoluments for the last 20 months, wage employees of Public Health Engineering Department Wednesday protested here demanding their accumulated wages be released to them.
The protestors assembled at the Press Enclave under the bannerof PHE Joint Employees Association and staged a demonstration raising slogansfor their demand.
“Authorities are ignoring our plight. Despite repeatedassurances our withheld wages have not been released so far,” said Ashiq Ahmad,a protestor.
Earlier, the association had deferred a pen-down strike lastmonth when authorities assured them the wages would be released in May.
Mushtaq Ahmad, one of the protestors said that theirfamilies and dependents were suffering.
“Doctor has asked my ailing mother to undergo few medicaltests. It has now been three months and still I am waiting for release of wagesto take my mother for medical tests,” he said.
Ajaz Ahmad, another protestor said that local shopkeepers inhis locality have asked him to clear past dues before borrowing anymore.
“In this ongoing holy month when people enjoy differentvarieties of delicious dishes at Iftaar and Sehri, the families of daily wagersare struggling for a simple meal,” Ahmad rued.
Sajad Ahmad Parray, president Kashmir PHE Joint EmployeesAssociation said that Eid-ul-Fitr is also just now two weeks away and theirpockets are empty.
“Last month we deferred our protests after assurance fromauthorities that our wages would be released in May. It is 22 May today and16th Ramadhan. Our pockets are empty,” Parray said.
We have not paid several months of tuition fees of childrenin their schools. We demand immediate release of wages.”
A few months earlier, authorities set up a committee tofigure out how wages could be paid regularly every month. “The committee is yetto submit its recommendations,” Parray said.