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| With strike five days on government yet to respond to demands of Patwaris | | People turn out to be ultimate sufferers | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
srinagar, May 18: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) coalition government in the state seems to be least bothered about the problems being faced by the common masses and the same gets reflected every now and then.
For the last five days Land Record Assistants (LRAs) known as Patwaris in local parlance working across the length and breadth of Jammu & Kashmir are on strike in support of their demands. The indifference towards this issue can be gauged by the fact that no statement whatsoever has come from the government so far.
The Patwaris under the banner of All Jammu & Kashmir Patwar Association (AJKPA) are on indefinite strike since May 14. It is for the second time in the last three months that these revenue officials have proceeded on a strike. Although, on both the occasions people turned out to be ultimate sufferers the people at helm continue to be unmoved.
The strike of Patwaris has created many problems for the people who have carry out mutation of their land holdings. In addition the report of a Patwari is needed for many official obligations and all this has come to a halt due to the strike of Patwaris. Despite all there is no response whatsoever from the state government.
Last time around it was in February that Patwaris went on strike for four days in support of their demands. The strike at that time was called off by AJKPA following assurance by then minister for revenue, Abdul Rehman Veeri. Since then Veeri has been replaced by Ghulam Nabi Lone (Hanjura) as the revenue minister.
"For the last three years or so we carried out series of meetings with the Minister for Revenue. We projected the demands and in turn we got assurance time and again that the demands would be fulfilled. However, there has been no action from the people ate helm and we continue to suffer for no fault of ours," said a group of Patwaris while sharing views with Early Times.
The Patwaris said that a committee formed by the state government to look into the demands of Patwaris had recommended that the demands are genuine and these should be fulfilled without fail. He said the recommendations of the committee have been virtually thrown into the 'dustbin' by the state government.
It would be in place to mention here that Department of Finance had rejected the file containing the demands of Patwaris duly accepted by the committee. Although, Veeri had assured that the matter would be looked into and he would meet then Finance Minister, Haseeb A Drabu the meeting never materialized.
The demands of Patwaris include increase in grade pay of graduate Patwaris from Rs. 2400 to 2800 and provision of rent for Patwar Khanas since the same is paid by them out of their own pockets. The AJKPA is also demanding creation of Patwar and Girdawar circles, allotment of charge allowances for Patwaris and Girdawars and timely conduct of Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs). |
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