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Kupwara seasonal coolies, casual labourers without wages for years | | | Early Times Report Kupwara, July 20: The seasonal and casual labourers of Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department's Kupwara division are without salaries for last three years, a group of labourers told They alleged that the department has withheld their salaries due to inefficiency, callous approach and incompetence of its office bearers. "Since 2010 we have been denied our due salaries. We approached our officers for release of salary but they say the department has no funds available at present and the salary would be disbursed shortly", a delegation of the employees told . Refuting shortage as funds to be responsible for non payment of wages, the labourers said the department releases billions of rupees in favour of the contractors leaving them high and dry especially when the holy month of Ramazan has begun. "All this while they (our officers) have been telling all lies that our salaries would be paid in a day or two, but they never kept their word. How do we trust them now?", they asked. The labourers said they have been making rounds of division office Kupwara every week for their salaries, however, to no avail. A "seasonal coolie" who identified himself as Parveez Ahmad said his wife has been ill for past six months but he does not have money for her treatment. He added his grocer has refused his domestic supplies following his increasing debt. One more employee namely Abdul Majeed says that he needs money as he has to pay monthly tuition fees of his children who have been threatened by the school administration to be expelled if they failed to liquidate their outstanding dues by 30th of this month. "My family has nothing to eat I desperately need to purchase eatables like rice and spices." "They (officials) keep promising, but do not release our salaries," he alleged. Demanding stringent action against the irresponsible officials at its division office the delegation however threatened to come on roads to protest the official apathy if the department fails to release their salaries immediately. As per Executive Engineer I&FC Kupwara's letter vide no 3172-73 dated 11/01/2012 addressed to local Superintending Engineer Hydraulic the department owes forty eight lakh rupees to casual and seasonal labourers working with the division. Meanwhile Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control department Kashmir Muzafar Lankar said the demand of these labourers and coolies in genuine. "The matter has already been brought into my notice and I will try my best to arrange funds for paying wages to them", he said. |
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