Shopian: Scores of casual labors working in Power Development Department (PDD) of Sub division Chitragam in Shopian are on strike from last one week as they demand regularization of their service.
Casual labors of PDD sub-division Chitragam told Kashmir Images that they are demanding the regularization of their service.
They said that a large number of youth were engaged on ‘need basis’ in PDD department during last several years. “We have been working in the PDD department from last several years but the government is not willing to regularize our service,” said the casual labors.
“Many casual labors were regularized by the PDD department in other districts while as the PDD authorities in Shopian district are reluctant to follow the suit,” they added.
Vice president of the Jammu and Kashmir PDD casual labors union circle Pulwama, Ab Qayoom Shah said that out of 8 divisions of PDD department here, seven of them have already started the process of regularization but the PDD authorities of Shopian division are feigning ignorance in this regard.
“Let alone the regularization of our service, we are not being paid our ‘meager salary’ on time. We will continue this strike until our demands are not met,” said Abdul Qayoom.
Executive Engineer PDD Shopian Division Gulzar Ahmad Kuchay told Kashmir Images that the PDD department has nothing to do with the regularization process. “Positive field reports will decide the process of regularization,” said Gulzar Ahmad.
