JIGMET DADUL
LEH: All Jammu and Kashmir Central Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union Leh observed one day strike here on Saturday. The striking employees in a move to mount pressure on government cut off electricity supply of Leh district affecting the normal life in the entire region.
The PDD employees were demanding regularisation of 172 daily wagers out of which 47 are serving in PDD since 1994 under the provision of SRO 381 as per cabinet decision No. 151/23/2012 dated 30th August 2012.
Irked over the negligence of political parties and other public representatives especially regarding non release of salaries for the last seven months, the daily wagers from Changthang, Nubra and Sham areas went on strike.
President of the Union, Rinchen Nurboo informed that they had already submitted representations to various higher authorities for initiating appropriate action but till date nothing has been done in this regard. He said that these daily wagers are the backbone of PDD setup in Leh. He informed that most of these daily wagers are working since 1994.
Rinchen said that the administrative department vide its letter No.PDD/VI-34/2010 dated 19th September 2013 to Development Commissioner (Power) and Chief Engineer EM and RE Wing Kashmir conveyed that the cases of 907 casual labourers have been approved by the competent authority which include all the 21 Districts of J&K, except the 47 eligible casual labourers of Leh District that were left out.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Engineer, Electric M&RE Division PDD Leh, A.K Sachdeva and Executive Engineer Tsewang Paljor have assured the protestors that the issue has been discussed with Deputy Commissioner Leh Saugat Biswas. They also informed that soon a meeting shall be held with the Principal Secretary PDD.
The PDD employees threatened to give Leh Bandh call if their demands are not fulfilled in the proposed meeting with Principal Secretary PDD.