SRINAGAR Kashmir Electrical Contractors Association, associated with Power Development Department (PDD), staged a protest at Press Enclave here against the nonpayment of their pending bills, while alleging that their exemplary work provided an opportunity to various officers of state, to bag awards worth crores, while they have been deprived of their due payments, since last year.
According to a local news agency, contractors working for PDD, appeared outside Press Enclave on Thursday afternoon and raised slogans against the Government, for nonpayment of their due bills amounting to crores.
The protesting contractors said that state officials have bagged awards, as a result of their good works, while the bills of contractors, amounting to 80 crores of rupees have been withheld by PDD since 2018.
Government functionaries like Commissioner Secretaries, Development Commissioners and Chief Engineers have bagged awards amounting to crores, in recognition of our classy work, while we the contractors are subjected to suffering, by blocking our due payments, they said.
There is larger section of people like laborers, transporters and suppliers of various materials, who are associated with us, who also suffer for not getting their wages and payments, due to the nonpayment of our bills by the department, they added.
They said that their lives have become hell, because all these people are pressing for the payment of their dues, which they are unable to pay, because of the irresponsible behavior of the department.
We could not pay to any of the workers or suppliers on the recent Eid-ul-Fitr, when traditionally everyone expects his or her due payments. Although we somehow managed to pacify them at that occasion, but with Eid-ul-Azha approaching near, we are living in a state of despair and under tremendous mental stress, they said.
The appealed the Governor Staya Pal Malik to look into the matter and help them the payment of their dues and thus rescue them for the state of uncertainty.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
