By IANS,
Srinagar : Government employees Wednesday struck work across the Kashmir Valley, demanding implementation of the agreement signed between their representatives and the Jammu and Kashmir government this August.
Government offices in the state’s summer capital Srinagar and other district headquarters in the Valley wore a deserted look as employees went on a day’s protest strike.
“The state government signed an agreement with us Aug 18, confirming the implementation of our demands by October 2009,” said Farooq Ahmad Trali, chief spokesperson of the government employees’ joint action committee here.
“We have already waited for two months beyond the deadline, but our demands have not been met so far,” he added.
Besides the implementation of the recommendations of the sixth pay commission, the state government, according to the employees’ spokesperson, had agreed to enhancement of the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, release of 40 percent arrears of the pay commission, conversion of cost of leaving allowance into dearness allowance for those working in public sector undertakings and regularisation of employees working as daily wagers in various government departments.
“Despite an agreement signed in black and white, the government has not so far implemented our demands,” the employees’ spokesperson said.
The common man visiting the government offices was highly disappointed. Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Haft Chinar locality in Srinagar said: “I had gone to the old secretariat complex for redressal of my grievance, but was disappointed to see the offices deserted.”