Tasaduq Hussain
Kupwara, Sep 18: Power Development Department (PDD) employees on Monday held a strong protest in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, highlighting various issues faced by them.
The protesting employees demanded timely salaries and speedy work on pending files with the government. They also urged the administration to look into the issue of daily wagers.
The wives of some of the employees who had lost their lives in the line of duty, also joined the protest. They raised slogans in favour of their demands outside the PDD office.
The protesters said their families are suffering due to the “inaction” of the authorities. “We don’t receive salaries on time. Despite working on the ground regularly, all of us are made to suffer. Even after assurances, nothing is done. If our demands aren’t met at the earliest, all of us will go on indefinite strike,” one of the employees said.
We have to pay school fees for our children on time for which we often remain worried, they said.
The widows of the deceased employees said they are not able to meet their daily needs. “Our children and the rest of the family members are suffering immensely. We are facing difficulties by not receiving salaries on time,” they said.
The employees said they have always stood by the department for years. When the department was facing losses, we stood by them. “Our salaries are withdrawn through grants, not treasury,” he said.
Another employee said, “We have been working on the same grade since 1998. Our DPCs are pending with the government. Since 2019, no list has been released. After our protest back then, the government assured us of resolving our long-pending demands. However, despite assurances, nothing concrete has been done on the ground, and we continue to suffer.”
The PDD employees threatened of indefinite strike if their demands were not fulfilled at the earliest.
