PHE Workers’ Protest March Foiled Near Indira Chowk Amid Heavy Police Deployment

JAMMU, Feb 11: Police on Tuesday prevented a protest march by daily rated employees of the Public Health Engineering, now Jal Shakti Department, who were attempting to proceed towards the Civil Secretariat in Jammu to press for their long-pending demands, including regularisation and release of outstanding wages.

A large number of workers assembled under the banner of the PHE Workers United Front outside the office of the Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, at the PHE Complex on BC Road. The gathering soon turned into a demonstration, with employees raising slogans in support of their demands and expressing resentment over what they termed as continued neglect of their issues by the government.

The protest was led by senior union representatives including Ravi Hans, Rajinder Singh Taj, Hoshiar Singh, Navdeep Singh and Mohan Lal. Addressing the gathering, the leaders reiterated their demand for immediate regularisation of all daily wagers who have been serving the department for years without job security. They alleged that assurances made in the past, including commitments during elections, have not translated into concrete action.

Union leaders stated that a committee constituted by the Chief Minister to examine the issue of regularisation was given a six-month timeframe to submit its report. However, they claimed that even after nearly a year, the report has neither been made public nor implemented. The protesters demanded that the findings of the committee be placed in the public domain to bring clarity and transparency to the process.

The demonstrators, carrying banners and placards, later began marching towards the Civil Secretariat with the stated intention of staging a gherao of the Legislative Assembly. Workers from districts including Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi also joined the march, swelling the numbers and intensifying the demonstration.

A strong contingent of police personnel intercepted the procession near Indira Chowk. Barricades were erected to prevent the protesters from advancing further towards the Secretariat complex. A brief scuffle reportedly broke out as some workers attempted to push past the barricades, but the situation was quickly brought under control. A few protesters managed to reach a nearby park close to the Secretariat, where they continued their demonstration for some time before dispersing.

The protesting workers have been demanding regularisation of their services and payment of pending wages, arguing that many of them have worked for years on meagre honorariums without job stability. They expressed disappointment over the recent Budget, stating that it did not address their concerns in a meaningful manner.

While the protest remained largely peaceful, the police action effectively halted the march, preventing the workers from reaching the Civil Secretariat. The employees have indicated that they will continue their agitation if their demands are not addressed in a time-bound manner.