Jammu: The ongoing sit-in by daily wage workers of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department reached its 780th day today, with employees demanding regularization of their positions and the release of wages that have been withheld for over 80 months.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the workers have been protesting outside the Chief Engineer’s office in Jammu. They are pressing for the regularization of their jobs and the payment of wages that have been pending for approximately six and a half years. The PHE authorities have yet to fulfill these demands, despite previous assurances.
Ravi Hans, a union leader, spoke with media persons, highlighting that the strike began on June 22, 2022. Hans detailed several unsuccessful negotiations with senior department officials and noted that promises made by the Lieutenant Governor have not been realized. Fellow representatives Rajinder Singh Taj and Hoshiar Singh expressed their determination to persist with the protest until their demands are met. They emphasized the severe financial hardships faced by the workers’ families, including inability to afford basic living expenses and children’s school fees.