Employees Union Stages Protest Demands Justice Compensation & Government Job for Deceased Family
PAMPORE April : 10 All J&K TDL/PDL Electric Employees Union of Sub Division Pampore staged a peaceful protest today at the PDD Sub Office Pampore, following the tragic death of Mohammad Yousuf Dar, a PDL worker and resident of Goripora Barsoo. Dar lost his life after falling from an electric pole while repairing a power line in the Pampore area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The protesting employees demanded immediate compensation for the deceased’s family and a government job for his next of kin.
Speaking to Morning Kashmir, State Vice President of the All J&K Electric Employees Union PDL/TDL, Mehraj Ud Din Bhat, said that today they are holding a condolence protest following the death of a PDL worker, Mohammad Yousuf Dar, a resident of Guripora Barsoo. He had fallen from an electric pole while on duty a few days ago and, after being admitted to the hospital and succumbed to his injuries yesterday.
He added that they are protesting to demand compensation for the deceased worker’s family and a government job for one of the family member. He warned that if the department ignores this issue, the protest will intensify and the workers will go on a work boycott strike. The responsibility for any such escalation will lie with the Managing Director and the Chief Engineer.
Till now, over 450 workers have died and injured on duty due to electric shocks, yet the department has done nothing. Although LG Manoj Sinha had approved 12,000 employees for us back in 2022, we have no issue with the government — the responsibility to implement regulations lies with the Managing Director and the Chief Engineer, he said.
Under SRO 381, the available Class IV vacancies can be filled through the DPC (Departmental Promotion Committee), and our regularization process can be initiated — this is not a big issue. Our problem is not with the government but with our own department, which is betraying us.
Speaking specifically about Pulwama district, there are around 400 vacancies and about 1600 daily wagers, whose documents are already ready. They should be processed through the DLC (District Level Committee), but their files are lying untouched in the Chief Office, while our workers continue to sacrifice their lives.
Our appeal now is that the family of PDL worker Mohammad Yousuf Dar should be provided compensation without any delay, and one of the family member should be given a government job. This is our earnest appeal to the government.
Speaking to Morning Kashmir, Division President Awantipora of the Employees Union, Gowhar Gulshan, said that the leadership of the All J&K TDL/PDL Awantipora Division is present here. We had scheduled this protest programme yesterday evening, and messages were sent to all sub-divisions, including the Pampore sub-division, to hold this protest against the tragic death of our worker, Mohammad Yousuf Dar.
He had been working in the Power Development Department (PDD) as a daily wager for over 20 years. Unfortunately, while on duty, he fell from an electric pole and was critically injured, he passed away yesterday at SKIMS Soura.
In this context, we have held a condolence protest here in Pampore to demand that the relief amount — including the public insurance and other schemes for which we have contributed from our salaries — be released for the deceased worker’s family. We also request the Executive Engineer of Awantipora and the Assistant Executive Engineer of Pampore sub-division to ensure that the rightful relief is provided to the family without delay.
He told Morning Kashmir that they appeal to the administration to expedite the pending issue of regularization, which has been delayed not only in the Kashmir Valley but also within the Pulwama Circle. It should be resolved at the earliest. He further mentioned that the Chief Sahib has also given assurance that the matter will be addressed in the coming days, and they request that the regularization orders be issued without any further delay.
