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Jammu, Sep 4 (UNI) The ongoing strike of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) workers today entered the consecutive 16th day while they took to the streets and staged protest rallies demanding immediate release of their five-month long pending salaries.

However, the entire State Road Transport Corporation fleet has almost come to a grinding halt as the employees have suspended the operation within the state and also on the inter-state routes.

''The workers are deprived of salaries for the last five months while the government breached its agreement, which was signed between the leaders of the Workers Union on March 24, 2008 and the Government representatives including MD of the Corporation and the Transport Commissioner,'' one of the Union leaders alleged.

Amid anti-government slogans and holding placards, hundreds of workers of the Corporation took out a protest rally that started from the head office, covered the main bazaars and markets of the City and culminated at Bikram Chowk.

''The agitation will continue unless the government will not consider our demands and hand over our pending salaries,'' a Union leader told UNI adding that the talks between the government and the workers union is likely to be held on September 8 in Srinagar to discuss their grievances.

The demonstrators however, added that it was agreed that regular salaries should be paid to the SRTC employees while pending 42 slabs of COLA should also be released besides hike in the wages of consolidated, contractual workers including drivers.

UNI VBH PD RK1412