Steps Afoot To Address Concerns: Sagar
Srinagar – The National Conference-led coalition government and the Employees Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) were Saturday heading for a showdown on Monday when the latter have announced their program to gherao the Civil Secretariat here to press their demands, which include enhancement of retirement age and regularization of daily wagers.
Sources said the JCC leaders had decided to take out a peaceful march from Jehangir Chowk to the Civil Secretariat ahead of the proposed gherao of the principal seat of power. The march would be jointly led by Abdul Qayoom Wani, Muhammad Khursheed Alam, Abdul Gafoor Dar, Farooq Ahmad Trali, Fayyaz Shabnum and Manzoor Ahmad Pampori. The employees have made all the preparations for the march at their individual and collective levels.
Quoting JCC sources, reports said the government had reached an understanding with the state employees in September 2011 and July this year under which their longstanding demands were to be fulfilled. However, the agreements have not been implemented so far, they said, adding the demands included enhancement of the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, regularization of the services of daily-rated workers and release of 6th Pay Commission arrears.
Asserting that certain elements within government were hell bent on delaying implementation of the agreements, senior JCC leader, Mhammad Khursheed Alam, said the state employees would go ahead with the proposed march and gherao of the Civil Secretariat on October 15.
It is not something we enjoy or wish to do but we are being compelled by the government to take such harsh steps. In order to make our program successful, all preparations have been made, Alam told KNS.
Meanwhile, according to official sources, the Cabinet Sub Committee headed by the finance minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, set up for looking into the employees demands met here today to assess the situation in view of the proposed JCC march and gherao. The CSC discussed as to what could be done to fulfill the demands of the employees, sources said.
The minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar, said the state government was serious towards addressing the concerns of its employees and all necessary steps would be taken in this regard.
Sources said the administration, on its part, was also gearing up for the likely showdown on Monday. Additional deployment of police and paramilitary personnel are being ordered from Jehangir Chowk to the Civil Secretariat to handle the situation. (Observer News Service With inputs from KNS)
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