The plight of the contingent works, cooks in Edu department
An open letter to Hon’ble Governor JK UT
Dear Hon’ble Sir
I am writing this letter on behalf of thousands of contingent workers (sweepers) and Cook cum helpers working in education department since the inception of Mid Day Meal scheme in govt run schools upto the age group of 14 years.
Hon’ble Sir, the Sweepers working in the deptt are just working on Rs 25 or 50 and by this one can imagine their interest towards the cleanliness of schools. The worst situation is that since 2017 onwards not a single rupee has been released in favour of these people. But despite all this, these people broom educational institutions with the hope that one day someone shall come and help in bringing them out of this miserable condition.
Hon’ble Sir, the other category is of Cooks who prepare the lunch for students against the monthly honorarium of Rs 1000 and till now no attention has been paid regarding their honorarium hike. To work from 9 am to 3 pm is something that seems bizarre against this meager amount. This job is mostly done by our young females who have always cherished it through all odds. They are the people who have always worked as guardians for these institutions; they protect these institutions during turmoil situations and even give nocturnal duties to preserve these educational institutions across the Jammu and Kashmir. The deptt is indebted to all these people.
Hon’ble Sir, under your Leadership recently the Minimum Wages of daily wagers, casual workers has been hiked from Rs 225 to 300 per day. But nothing has been done for these people and their inclusion is not seen anywhere. Now decades have gone, but their plight has neither been listened nor changed. They are discriminated at every front and their minimum wages rights have been violated.
Hon’ble Sir, this story has another tale. Due to non-availability of permanent sweepers and peons in the schools particularly upto 8th standard, teachers, students and cooks work as peons and sweepers to broom the classrooms has now become a routine. This is only because no policy regarding this has been framed till now and cleanliness has never been prioritized which negatively impacted the govt schools particularly in enrollment and other academic and non-academic activities.
Hon’ble Sir, a person begins his day with the hope that he/she would return home to feed his/her family but with these cooks and temporary sweepers of govt. Schools, a stepmotherly approach is shown. They are victims of official apathy, there is gloomy in their hearts and minds. They are ill fated people who work but without wages and also facing accountability.
Hon’ble Sir, hope never dies and same is with these people. They see a ray of hope in the form of our Hon’ble Governor JK UT to come and rescue them; bring them out of this inequality, miserable and desperate condition. They dream for this miracle to happen by your good self in the form of hiking their salaries only as per their work done in educational institutions. If done the govt run schools would certainly shine and rise more and the serious issue of cleanliness shall be mitigated.
Thank You Sir
Gh Hassan Bhat
Govt Teacher, Tangmarg Barmulla.
Email at [email protected])
