Jammu, 19 June (H.S.): Aggrieved over no positive action of the Government on their long pending demand of regularization, a large number of PDD Engineers today observed one-day mass protest leave.
Under the banner of Jammu & Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA), the protesting Engineers staged a massive day long protest at Glandi Narwal Complex in Jammu and Bemina Complex PDD in Srinagar.
Senior Engineers, right from Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, AEEs up to Junior Engineers were on one day mass protest leave against the administrative apathy on the issue of regularisation and diversion of promotion cadre posts of PDD to PDC. The various unions of Non Gazetted Technical and clerical cadres had extended support to the call of JKEEGA.
Er Sachin Tickoo, General Secretary JKEEGA, while addressing the protesting Engineers in Jammu and Peerzada Hidayatullah, president, in Srinagar, expressed strong resentment against the Government for not having been able to regularise even one Engineer of PDD in the previous four years , despite the State Administrative Council decision in its meeting held on 22.10.2019 for regular promotions in the PDD on fast-track basis at the departmental level without referring to Public Service Commission as one- time exemption.
The protesting Chief Engineers/Superintending Engineers while speaking at the venue, highlighted the absolute apathy faced by them as they are superannuating in the grades of Assistant Engineers or even Junior Engineers.
The protesters also drew attention towards the vacant positions of Managing Director (02), Executive Director (04), CE (09), SE (19), Xen (72), AEE (148), JE (436) against the overall sanctioned strength of the department. The situation is alarming given the fact that nearly 60 percent positions of Executive Engineers are vacant, leaving important Divisions on additional charge basis, even sub divisions are being manned on additional charge basis, they said and demanded relaxation in rules with respect to qualifying service for higher positions.
Justifying their protest, the JKEEGA members said that despite having given 21 days notice over their long standing issue , the administration failed to give tangible progress.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
