Qaiser Dar
Srinagar 22 October (KNB): The J&K Road Transport Corporation Workers Union staged a massive protest at Sheri-Kashmir Park, demanding the release of their salaries.
President of the workers union, Sajad Ahmad said, “From past two months we’ve been regularly putting forth the issue (salary release) in front of the government but have been completely neglecting us”.
He added that we are against the strikes but are being forced to resort to these majors.
“Our protest is genuine cause we have not been given the salary of last 4 months now. Those who have retired haven’t been provided the retirement benefits, SRO 43 has not been implemented, regularization of the consolidated drivers is not happening, CP fund is unremitted and even the 7th pay commission has not been implemented yet”, he said.
He added that we have regularly implored the government that SRTC is being used as a frontline warrior, be it, in the ongoing pandemic situation or during floods or any other emergency but when it comes to providing the salary, they tell us to earn profits.
“How will we make profit? From past 20 years we’ve been facing this issue of negligence towards SRTC and want to clearly state it to the government that if they want us to work and provide our service to the people of J&K, they have to give us our salaries on time”, he emphasized.
He said that if the government can’t look after our department just give us the salaries of past 4 months and close it.
“We’ve staged this one day protest to wake up this government and call upon them to look for a one-time solution of this problem,” he added.
Further said that the protestors are going to match towards Raj Bhawan in a peaceful manner while keeping the Covid19 SOP’s in mind.
Kashmir News Buruea reports stated that the march towards Rajh Bhawan included hundreds of protesters, as they shouted the slogans of justice, police used heavy water cannons to disperse them, while dozens of protestors were detained. (KNB)