Withholding wages, salaries of contractual, daily wager, seasonal employees grave injustice: NC

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Saturday expressed concern over withholding of wages of daily wagers, casual and seasonal workers working in various departments saying withholding of outstanding wages of nearly 65,000 employees during the prevailing perilous COVID-19 is grave injustice.
Drawing the attention of the ruling regime towards the plight of daily wagers, casuals and seasonal employees, the Party’s Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar in a statement issued here on Saturday Said that Eid ul Azha is approaching and that thousands of employees who are working tirelessly on ground combating the COVID-19 crises are without salaries and wages. “These workers are already suffering from pay incongruity. The unfortunate lot gets diminutive remuneration for their toil even that paltry amount is not paid to them on time; in some departments such employees have been without salaries for around a year now. The unfortunate lot is feeling abandoned by the government. It has become really hard for them to survive as most them have no other financial source to bank on. Most of these casual need based, seasonal and daily wagers are frontline workers. It’s a shame that they are being neglected like this,” he said.
“With each passing day the crises is deepening and these people are made to suffer for no fault of theirs. If the government continues with its attitude the financial condition of such employees will further erode and hamper their morale to combat the prevailing pandemic. Why it that the ruling regime has to be jostled every time to do its duty? At a time when the government is proactively deciding other issues in the times of crises, why isn’t any initiative being taken in this direction?” he added.
While highlighting the issue of denying minimum wages to such need based, contractual, daily wagers, Imran said, “Thousands of daily wagers, contractual, need based, and seasonal employees working in various departments have been running from pillar to post to have their issues redressed. Every time they are being served hollow promises which unfortunately are never implemented. These employees are undergoing penury and are finding it difficult to meet the expenses of their households, and education of their children. Most of these employees are debt ridden and cash strapped.”
Meanwhile a party delegation led by Party’s MPs Muhammad Akbar Lone, and Hasnain Masoodi visited the residence of Late Dr. Syed Muhammad Shafi at Khiram Sirhama, and condoled with his bereaved family. The MPs expressed unison with the grief-stricken family, especially his son Syed Sabha and offered Fateh for the deceased. Party MPs recounted his contribution to the party. The delegation comprised of Party’s provincial Secretary Showkat Mir, Syed Tauqeer, and Peer Muhammad Hussain. Later Party’s district president Anantnag, Altaf Ahmed Kaloo, GN Bhat, Safdar Ali, Javaid Rahim Bhat also visited the bereaved family. The visiting functionaries prayed for peace to the departed soul and much needed strength to the bereaved family in their hour of grief.