Shah Tawqeer ul Islam
Srinagar 8 May (KNB): Even after years of a number of consolidated workers’ engagement orders being expired; they are still working at the appointed offices, sources said.
As per orders issued by top authorities of Transport Department Jammu and Kashmir—documents are in possession of the news agency Kashmir News Bureau—a number of people were appointed in Board of Inspection, office of Director General Transport J&K, Transport Commissioner’s Office, Special National Highway Squad, Office of RTO Kashmir, Etc.
The sanctions were accorded for temporary engagements on a consolidated basis for a period of 89 days in the year 2007, 2009, 2010 as well as 1999.
Reliable sources told Kashmir News Bureau that these workers have been taking undue advantage of people to meet their daily demands.
“They have been working at different Transport offices for years on wages as low as 1500 to 3000 per month,” sources said, adding that with such limited earnings, it is not possible to live the sort of life they have.
“They own bungalows, several cars”, which raises legitimate questions about their work at these offices, sources added.
If sources are to be believed, most of these workers have been surviving in these offices for all these years because of the support of some corrupt officers in the Transport Department of Jammu and Kashmir, who use them to accomplish their vested mission.
Moreover, as stated in the replies to several RTIs filed by people bent on exposing the frauds taking place in one of the highly reputed departments of the valley, these engagements were purely temporary and on a need basis for a period of 89 days, and the engagement orders have since expired.
But how are these workers still engaged in several offices across the Union Territory, especially Transport offices in the heart of the valley, Srinagar district, remains a question unanswered. (KNB)