[India] PDD employees and widows protest to demand timely salaries

On September 18, Power Development Department (PDD) employees staged a protest in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district to highlight a number of ongoing salary issues, The Kashmiriyat reports.

The protesting employees demanded timely salaries and accelerated work on pending files with the government. They also urged the administration to look into the issue of daily wagers.

The wives of employees who lost their lives in the line of duty also joined the protest, according to reporting from the Kashmir News Observer (KNO). They held placards detailing their demands as they gathered outside the PDD office.

The protesters reportedly said that their families are suffering as a result of the “inaction” of authorities. One of the employees told the news agency, “We don’t receive salaries on time. Despite working on the ground regularly, all of us are made to suffer. Even after assurances, nothing is done. If our demands aren’t met at the earliest, all of us will go on indefinite strike.” 

We have to pay school fees for our children on time which is a continuing worry, they said.

The widows of the deceased employees reportedly said that they are unable to meet their daily needs. “Our children and the rest of the family members are suffering immensely. We are facing difficulties by not receiving salaries on time,” they said.

The employees state that they have stood by the department for years. When the department was facing losses, we stood by them. “Our salaries are withdrawn through grants, not treasury,” one said.

Another employee said, “We have been working on the same grade since 1998. Our DPCs are pending with the government. Since 2019, no list has been released. After our protest back then, the government assured us of resolving our long-pending demands. However, despite assurances, nothing concrete has been done on the ground, and we continue to suffer.”

The PDD employees have reportedly threatened an indefinite strike if their demands are not promptly met.

Source: The Kashmiriyat

(Quotes via original reporting)

On September 18, Power Development Department (PDD) employees staged a protest in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district to highlight a number of ongoing salary issues, The Kashmiriyat reports.

The protesting employees demanded timely salaries and accelerated work on pending files with the government. They also urged the administration to look into the issue of daily wagers.

The wives of employees who lost their lives in the line of duty also joined the protest, according to reporting from the Kashmir News Observer (KNO). They held placards detailing their demands as they gathered outside the PDD office.

The protesters reportedly said that their families are suffering as a result of the “inaction” of authorities. One of the employees told the news agency, “We don’t receive salaries on time. Despite working on the ground regularly, all of us are made to suffer. Even after assurances, nothing is done. If our demands aren’t met at the earliest, all of us will go on indefinite strike.” 

We have to pay school fees for our children on time which is a continuing worry, they said.

The widows of the deceased employees reportedly said that they are unable to meet their daily needs. “Our children and the rest of the family members are suffering immensely. We are facing difficulties by not receiving salaries on time,” they said.

The employees state that they have stood by the department for years. When the department was facing losses, we stood by them. “Our salaries are withdrawn through grants, not treasury,” one said.

Another employee said, “We have been working on the same grade since 1998. Our DPCs are pending with the government. Since 2019, no list has been released. After our protest back then, the government assured us of resolving our long-pending demands. However, despite assurances, nothing concrete has been done on the ground, and we continue to suffer.”

The PDD employees have reportedly threatened an indefinite strike if their demands are not promptly met.

Source: The Kashmiriyat

(Quotes via original reporting)