Sectt employees protest ‘govt’s refusal to address their demands’

Srinagar: The Secretariat employees on Friday staged a protest march against government’s “refusal to address their genuine demands”.

According to news agency GNS, the protesting employees marched through the lawns of the civil secretariat to record dissatisfaction with the government.

Later Ghulam Rasool Mir (President JKCSNGEU), Maqbool Hussain (president JKCSLGEU) and others officer bears of the union including Thannaji Bhat, Muzafar Nabi, Mohammad Afzal addressed the employees on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, J&K Civil Secretariat Employees Coordination Committee, Ghulam Rasool Mir said that the government, it seems has gone in “sleeping mode”.

He said that Ministers have put the directions of the Chief Minister with regard to resolution of pending issues of the employees on shelf, with no progress in sight.

He said that Government should finalise Pay anomaly and undertake cadre review immediately besides implement the 7th Pay commission.

He said that bureaucrats, sitting in the power corridors, have been adopted delaying tactics to kill time only.

Mir said Minister’s have posted outsiders in their personal sections and thereby encouraged attachments in the Civil Secretariat and created indiscipline and mess that was adversely affecting the working and functioning of the Civil Secretariat. Mir demanded immediate revocation of such attachment orders otherwise, he said, employees would be forced to lock such sections/offices.

With regard to delay in construction of government quarter, he said that apparently there was some nexus between government and the hoteliers resulting in delay in construction of quarters for employees even after directions given by the Chief Minister for taking up the construction work at the earliest.

He said there are hundreds of quarters occupied by influential persons connected to Ministers and bureaucrats, “who neither pay any rent to the Estates Department nor is any HRA deducted from their salaries.”

On the issue of canteen , he said the Employees had requested the Government to close JKTDC canteen within the premises of Civil Secretariat and establish canteen on open tender basis as present canteen is sucking blood of the Employees.

Mir said while Ministers and beaurucrates are enjoying free tea and refreshments from Government exchequer besides other facilities, employees are left to suffer and not provided even the basic accommodation facilities. (GNS)