Srinagar Sep 24: A number of electrical contractors from different parts of Kashmir are up in arms against Electrical Manufacturing Company (EMC) power limited and PDD for withholding their long-pending bills.
The contactors demanded immediate release of their payments. They blamed the concerned department of being non-serious towards the issue.
“We are working under Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) scheme launched by the government of India through PDD department for which a Kolkata based private company EMC Power Limited received the tender and hired us to do the task of installing transformers, wiring and installation of other different electrical material,” a group of electrical contractors told Kashmir Images.
“The bill of completed works is pending with the company and department from the last few years as the bill is being tossed from table to table in the concerned department.
The contractors said that the concerned department is creating hurdle in release of their payments. “We have already completed our work and even in some areas just 20 percent of the installation and wiring is incomplete which would be done after the release of our payments,” they added.
The contractors further said they have taken huge amount of loan and are in debt. They threatened to start a protest if their pending bills are not cleared at earliest.
The contactors appealed the Governor administration to intervene in the matter.
Dilnawaz Koul social activists told Kashmir Images that the demands of contractors are genuine. “Nonpayment of bills is having an adverse impact on the livelihood of thousands of workers involved directly or indirectly with the project.”
“The executing agency EMC and PDD should come out of slumber and release pending bills of completed work as soon as possible to ensure speedy work of R-APDRP scheme,” he added
Koul further added that government is claiming to provide employment opportunities to youth but looking at these contactors, who are mostly young and are been dragged to debt, belittle claims of government.
