Jahangeer Ganaie
Bijbehara, Jun 20: Casual labourers of the Wildlife Department protested on Thursday in Bijbehara, demanding wages at par with other casual labourers.
The labourers expressed frustration over receiving meagre wages despite working day and night. They said their earnings amount to only a few hundred rupees, which they receive around Eid.
The protesters said that casual labourers in other departments receive Rs 9,000 per month. They questioned why the Wildlife Department labourers face such disparity.
“We play a critical role in managing man-animal conflicts and other duties, yet we are not compensated adequately and often face months-long delays in salary disbursement,” they said, adding, “If the department continues to treat us this way, how will we survive on a meagre salary of a few hundred rupees, which we often get after several months.”
The labourers demanded that the government either disengage them or provide wages comparable to other casual labourers, and ensure they receive Rs 9,000 per month.
Bilal Ahmad, one of the casual labourers, said that many of them have families to support and struggle to manage household expenses and children’s school fees with their infrequent and insufficient wages, despite having served the department for over 20 years.
The labourers urged that their files be forwarded to higher authorities to ensure they receive fair compensation. They called for the intervention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other authorities to address their grievances.
All casual labourers in the Wildlife Department are currently on strike and have vowed to continue their protest across Kashmir until their demands are met.
