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| Employees begin 5 days strike Work paralysed in govt offices, PSUs | | |
ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 9: Normal work in all government offices and Public Sector Undertakings across the State virtually came to standstill on first day of five days long strike called by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC).
The state government employees have given the strike call in favour of their demands comprising payment of arrears of sixth Pay Commission, release of COLA, increase in the retirement age from 58 years to 60 years and regularisation of daily wagers, contractual and others working in different government departments.
Reports said that healthcare services in different hospitals affiliated with Government Medical Colleges Jammu and Srinagar (GMC), remained badly affected and Out Patient Departments (OPDs) were seen locked because of the strike by paramedical and other staff. Emergency services in all hospitals were exempted from the strike call and the emergency wards were working normally.
Hundreds of patients and their attendants from far-off places were seen waiting outside the OPDs wards of different Hospitals in Jammu city.
"We were left at the mercy of God as nobody is listening and attending us," said the patients waiting outside the OPD at GMCH Jammu. He further said, "It is not the ministers or bureaucrats who suffered due to strike but the common people who could not pay the fees of doctors in private clinics."
He was joined by other patients, waiting outside the OPD, who alleged that ministers and bureaucrats are enjoying the services of specialised doctors in their homes as and when required.
Criticising the government for not making adequate measures for patients who are visiting the hospitals from far flung and remote areas besides from different parts of towns and city, they said the strike by the hospital employees was not justified as it affects common man only.
Reports further said that similar scenes were also witnessed in other hospitals in the city, including SMGS Hospital, Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar and Government Hospital Sarwal.
The employees of other government departments, including Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), Power Development Department (PDD), Public Water Department (PWD), Public Health Engineering (PHE), drainage, Roads and Buildings department also stayed away from work in favour of their strike.
All government educational institutions, where examinations for different classes are being conducted, witnessed thin attendance of teachers and other staff members.
The State Government and its employees had headed for a face-off after the JCC leaders rejected the former's talks' offer and had decided to go ahead with the five-day agitation programme which was started today.
The JCC, a conglomerate of several employees' unions spearheading the agitation, had rejected the Government's invitation for talks and had finalized its five-day agitation programme to be marked by a complete lockout of the offices and state-wide protests.
Hectic parleys, on for last three days, between the government representatives and the JCC leaders have failed to break ice, sources said.
However, the government functionaries had approached the employees' leaders suggesting them to call of the strike "as the government is committed to fulfill their demands as soon as the resources were available with it."
"Around 4.5 lakh employees would stay out of the offices and would protest on roads for five days to demand complete implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations," a JCC spokesman said.
Addressing media persons, Jaswant Singh, JCC provincial president Jammu alleged "The Government has adopted dilly dallying tactics to resolve the genuine issues of the employees. It has failed to fulfill the agreement which was carried in between the JCC and Cabinet Sub Committee on February 18, 2009 and August 19, 2009."
The JCC leader further alleged that the government is "misusing" the funds meant for paying arrears of sixth pay commission to government employees. "The government's slogan of financial crunch is an eye wash as if there was financial crunch how could it hike the salaries of Ministers and MLAs," he charged.
Claiming that there was complete in all government offices across Jammu province, Jaswant Singh said the committee would announce further programme for which in case of any compliancy in shape of inconvenience to the public the entire responsibility would lies on the state government.
Talking to Early Times, Abdul Qayoom Wan,i JCC leader and President Employees Joint Action Committee, said that the government had invited for negotiations "but we rejected the talks offer."
"The Government is not understanding the seriousness of the issue and we can go to any extend including stopping of emergency services, indefinite strike call etc. The new strategy for agitation would be decided on the last day of agitation i.e March 13," he maintained.
Yesterday, the Government had approached the JCC leaders through Khurshid Ahmad Ganaie, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Commissioner/Secretary General Administration Department Basharat Dhar.
"The Government is backtracking from the agreement reached between JCC representatives and its functionaries. We can't move back from this juncture. The government would have to address our demands or indefinite strike is on the cards," he warned.
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