JK: Protests for implementation of 6th CPC

Srinagar, Nov 20: About five lakh employees of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, Nov 20 struck work in almost all government departments, including hospitals and educational institutions, demanding implementation of 6th Pay Commission Report and increase in retirement age and other benefits.

However, emergency service in the hospitals and teachers on examination duty were exempted from the strike, a senior union leader of employees Khursheed Alam said.

He said strike in all government and semi-government departments was cent percent.

Work in educational institutions, water works and other government departments was paralysed due to the strike.

Mr Alam said all the five lakh employees joined the strike in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region in support of their demands.

We had held three meetings with Governor N N Vohra on our demands, but nothing has come out so far'', he said adding the next step would be more forceful.

He alleged that the administration was deliberately delaying the implementation of the promises made with the employees on implementation of 6th Wage Board recommendations and increase in the retirment age to 60 years from the present 58 years.

We are being told that Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet approved the recommendation of the state administration on these issue, he said and added that the retirement age in the whole country was 60 years and there was nothing new in it.

When the state government could get approval of the ECI in transfer and other cases, why it cannot do so in this case, he questioned.

He said there were other issues, including about daily wagers, contractuals appointees and labourers which were also pending before the government.

UNI