JAMMU, Oct 23: Hundreds of daily wage employees of the Jal Shakti department took to the streets in Jammu on Thursday, demanding that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah release the much-awaited report of the committee set up to examine the regularisation of their services.
The protest, organised by the PHE Employees United Front (Jammu Province), coincided with the first day of the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The protesters, carrying placards and shouting slogans of “We want justice,” assembled outside the Jal Shakti office, accusing the government of betraying their trust despite repeated assurances.
“We have been protesting for over 1,200 days, but our demand for regularisation has not been met. During the last Assembly session, the chief minister had announced the formation of a committee, and we were told the report would be submitted by September 19. It’s been more than a month, and we still don’t know its fate,” said Ravi Hans, leader of the PHE Employees United Front.
Hans urged the chief minister to table the committee report in the Assembly without delay, warning that if the government fails to act, the workers will launch an “aggressive protest” on October 27.
During the previous Assembly session, Omar Abdullah had announced the formation of a six-member committee headed by the chief secretary to prepare a roadmap for the regularisation of daily wagers. The committee was tasked with examining humanitarian, legal, and financial aspects concerning the regularisation of casual, seasonal, and other temporary workers across Jammu and Kashmir.
“There are nearly 67,000 daily wage workers across various departments who have been rendering services for decades without job security or fair wages. This is not just an administrative issue — it’s a matter of justice,” Hans said.
The workers also demanded the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act, stressing that most of them earn meagre amounts despite serving in essential sectors like water supply and maintenance.
As the autumn session began, the protest outside the Jal Shakti office served as a reminder of one of the most pressing labour issues in the Union territory. Whether the government tables the report during the ongoing session or delays it further, the daily wagers have made it clear: their patience is running out.
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