EARLY TIMES REPORT
DODA, Feb 3 : The construction work on the 9-km-long Chenani- Nashri tunnel, the country's longest tunnel, remained suspended for the fourth day today as the ongoing tussle for dominance among old and new Workers' Unions, backed allegedly by local leaders of National Conference and Congress respectively continued.
Six workers of Leighten Welspon Company were injured, one of them critically, when some unidentified persons fire upon them last night at Nashri. These workers were sitting on strike-cum-dharna for the last two days in support of their demands against the management.
The workers injured in the clash including Bashir Ahmed, a helper, of Rakh Jaddokh, Yasir Katoch, a driver, Jaffar Mir, Rashid Ahmed, Gurmeet Singh and Mushqoor Ahmed. While Bashir, who sustained critical injuries, was referred to Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu for advanced treatment all the other injured were being treated at the SKME Hospital, Batote. According to sources, during the clash, besides two cars (a Tata Safari and Indica), a truck, an ambulance, and a bulldozer of Leighton Wellspun Contractors Ltd (LWCL) -the Australian firm constructing the tunnel for the National Highways Authority of India - were damaged. A bullet was reportedly also recovered from the site of the clash.
On the complaint of the LWCL management, the police. The men engaged in the construction of tunnel alleged that the attack was carried out on striking workers to pressurize them to suspend their ongoing agitation in support of increasing their wages and allowances.
While addressing the gathering, the workers claimed that despite producing concrete evidence and giving the names of attackers, the police was expressing its helplessness in taking any action against them.
As per eyewitness, the agitating workers who had been sitting on dharna against the management of Leighten Wellspun Company were fired upon and attacked with stones by a group of persons including women led by a Sarpanch, who was working as a contractor for the company, of the area.
The striking workers, who have been sitting on dharna for the last two days blamed that Batote police was shielding the assailants who according to them have fired upon agitating workers at work site at Nashri last night. However, police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons for attack on striking workers and for creating hurdles in smooth construction work of Nashri-Chenani tunnel at Police Station Batote.
Meanwhile, in a bid to resolve the issue, the District Development Commissioner, Ramban S A Bhat has called a meeting of leaders of Nashri Workers Committee and elected village representatives tomorrow. |
