Yogesh
Jammu, Nov 10: Police on Monday foiled a protest march by hundreds of daily wage employees of the Jal Shakti Department, who had taken out a rally to gherao the Civil Secretariat here, demanding the regularisation of their services and the release of pending wages.
The protest, which began near Indira Chowk, saw a large gathering of workers from various departments, including the Jal Shakti Department, Power Development Department (PDD), and other civil sector units.
The protesters marched towards the Civil Secretariat but were stopped by police near the main bridge, leading to a brief standoff.
Witnesses said the workers, shouting slogans in support of their demands, blocked parts of the road, causing traffic disruptions in the area. Police had to place barricades to prevent them from proceeding further.
Officials said the protesters were allowed to demonstrate peacefully but were stopped from entering the high-security Civil Secretariat area.
As the protest continued, the traffic movement around Indira Chowk and nearby routes was affected.
Authorities appealed to the protesters to maintain calm and assured that their grievances would be conveyed to the higher authorities.
The daily wagers, however, said they would not call off their agitation until their long-pending demands were met. The protest ended in the evening, with the workers vowing to return if their issues remain unresolved.
Earlier, the Daily Wagers United Front, Jammu, urged the Chief Minister to table the committee report on the regularisation of daily wagers in the Assembly.
The daily wagers said that they had been working for several years, in some cases for decades, but their services have not been regularised.
The workers alleged that despite repeated assurances from successive governments, their demands have not been met. They said the rising cost of living has made it difficult to survive on their current wages.
The water supply to the Chief Minister’s house and other VIP areas in Jammu was temporarily shut down by protesting daily wage employees of the Jal Shakti Department but has since been restored.
The employees suspended the supply to draw attention to their demands for the regularization of their jobs and the release of pending wages. They said that disconnected water supply lines to the MLA hostel and the Chief Minister’s residence in protest was a symbolic move to highlight their struggle.
Earlier demonstrations were held on October 23 and 27, coinciding with the start of the Assembly session.
