BRO labourers on indefinite strike in Arunachal

Itanagar, Aug 23 The Border Road Organisation (BRO) labour union in Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng and Tawang districts went on indefinite 'stop work' since yesterday against non-fulfilment of their demand for a pay hike.

According to sources, the labourers were demanding a pay hike of all the casual workers of the state working under BRO.

BRO labourers, including those engaged in Indo-Bhutan border roads, also participated in the demonstration, sources informed.

The labourers had demanded that workers at an altitude of 4000 ft should be paid Rs 70 per day while those working in between 4000 to 8000 ft altitude be paid Rs 90 and above 8000 ft should be paid Rs 135 per day, sources said.

Lamenting that their monthly wages were very low compared to other states like Jammu& Kashmir, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya, the union advocated that they should be given more attention as they were working in more hostile terrain against all natural disasters.

''We have repeatedly approached to the BRO authorities in this regard but all in vain,'' a worker said.

UNI