The association of contractual workers of the Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam limited (UPNl) has threatened to resort to suicidal measures if the State Government fails to accept their demands. The members of the association are camping at the Kanak Chowk from Tuesday afternoon when they were stopped by the police in their attempt to march towards the State Secretariat.
Six members of the association have also started a fast-unto-death at the site; these members are Mahesh Bhatt, Bavesh Jaguri, Deepak Chauhan, Garima Dobhal, Ruchika Badooni and Arti Gaur. On the day, the agitated members of the association barged into the Press Club where senior congress leader Hira Singh Bisht was addressing media persons.
The State president of the association, Bhavesh Jaguri told The Pioneer that the patience of the contractual workers is fast waning. “We have given a time limit of 72 hours to the State Government yesterday, after which the workers can take self inflicting measures and the Government would be solely responsible if this happens,’’ he said. There are more than 18,000 contractual workers appointed in different Government department by the agency of UPNl. Their association is demanding that the State Government should regularise their services.
The other demands of the workers are that their salary should be increased and they should not be removed. These workers got agitated when some of the workers were removed by the State Government and permanent recruitment on the post held by the contractual UPNl workers was started by the State Sub ordinate services selection commission.