STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) of the Power Development Department has announced plans for a protest on September 9, 2023, citing concerns over prolonged delays in promotions and the large number of vacant positions within the department. Led by JKEEGA’s President Sachin Tickoo, the association held a press conference at the Press Club Jammu to address the issues faced by the engineers. The primary concerns raised include the adverse impact on the morale of officers and the compromised delivery of public services and grievance redressal due to the ongoing vacancies and delayed promotions. The government’s failure to fulfill commitments made under a previous agreement, dated December 21, 2021, signed between government representatives and power employees’ representatives, has been a central point of contention. The situation has led to a cascade of vacant positions across the engineering hierarchy, affecting engineers at various levels. Notably, there are more than 750 vacancies, including positions like Managing Director, Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers, and Junior Engineers. During the press conference, Tickoo highlighted that despite the substantial number of vacancies, promotions and regularizations have been consistently delayed, causing engineers to shoulder multiple charges and responsibilities. This delay has impacted the department’s efficiency and the timely delivery of services to consumers. The planned protest on September 9 aims to draw attention to these issues and to demand action from the government. Engineers from the J&K Power Development Department are set to submit one-day protest leaves and assemble at the PDD complexes in Gladni, Jammu, and Bemina, Srinagar. The protest is intended to be peaceful, with engineers abstaining from work for 24 hours. JKEEGA’s appeal to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K seeks intervention to expedite the approval of promotion and regularization proposals before the protest date, in order to prevent any potential escalation of the situation. Support for the protest has poured in from various quarters, with associations such as the Diploma Engineers Association, Provincial Power Employees Union, Lineman and Workers Union, Technical Employees Federation, PDL/TDL, and other workers unions expressing their solidarity and vowing to abstain from work on the day of the protest. As engineers prepare to make their voices heard, the attention now turns to the government’s response and efforts to address the concerns raised by the JKEEGA in their bid to secure timely promotions, fair working conditions, and an efficient power department for the region.