Scores of Van Shramiks under the banner of the Jharkhand Van Shramik Union led by its president Siddhi Nath Jha sat on dharna in front of the office of the chief conservator of forest and field director PTR Kumar Ashutosh today.
The Van Shramiks are on dharna in support of their 5 point charter of demands, said Jha.
The demands are regularisation to enhanced wages for skilled workers, stoppage to discrimination in distributing anti poaching kits, food allowance, stoppage to harassment to trekkers and tiger protection force and ex gratia relief to the tune of rupees 5 lakh in the event of death of Van Shramiks on duty added Jha.
On the other hand field director PTR Kumar Ashutosh said "We take care of our work force. They are 297 in numbers here. The NTCA does not give such fund for all the 297 to get wages at par with the wages meant to the skilled work force."
He said the PTR management is trying hard to pay wages for another 2 months in the coming month of November.
As regards discrimination in distributing anti poaching kits Ashutosh said "I will look into it. Let me find out first what the issue is all about."
As regards harassment to Van Shramiks and tiger protection force field director said the PTR management respects its work force but if there is any instance of it, then there will be correctional measures but no harassment to any one.