Ganderbal: Protests of Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JKPDCL) Ganderbal Circle’s PDL/TDL daily wage workers entered their second day on Thursday, but the demonstration quickly descended into a chaotic scene as a group of 128 “leftover” TDL/PDL workers vehemently opposed the protest.
The protesting TDL/PDL workers, said they have dedicated 15-20 years of their lives to the department on meager wages, and demanded the immediate implementation of the 2019 Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) and the submission of the finalized seniority list to higher authorities.
They argued that the prolonged delay in seniority list has severely impacted their careers and livelihoods, leaving them languishing in uncertainty.
However, a separate group of 128 leftover TDL/ PDL workers, led by Union President Nazir Ahmad Kandoo, emerged as a formidable opposition to the protest. Kandoo, leveled serious allegations against the protesting group, claiming that the seniority list was riddled with irregularities and manipulated to favor certain individuals.
He pointed out that some individuals who had failed to fulfill the basic requirement of uploading their Aadhaar based uploaded on the financial department website were mysteriously included in the list, while others who had been engaged without proper documentation and their Cash Vouchers (CVs) and date of engagement prior to 2015 were inexplicably granted seniority.
Kandoo accused the protesting group of attempting to hijack the process for their own personal gain, disregarding the legitimate concerns and rights of the leftover workers.
He urged higher authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter, demanding transparency and accountability in the entire process.
Kashmir Reader made attempt to contact Executive Engineer STD Ganderbal, Dilshad Ahmad Kawsoo, but he failed to respond despite repeated calls and SMSs
When contacted, Superintendent Engineer Mohammad Arshid Reshi JKPDCL circle Ganderbal informed Kashmir Reader that the matter is currently sub-judice, with the next court hearing scheduled for February 24th in the High Court. SE Reshi further stated that the group of 128 leftover PDL/TDL workers has obtained a status quo order from the court, effectively halting any further proceedings on the seniority list until the judicial process is complete.
Meanwhile the tussle between the workers has highlighted the internal divisions within the PDD Ganderbal Circle, with protesting workers demanding their rights and a group of leftover workers raising concerns about the fairness and accuracy of the seniority list and need for transparency and accountability in the department’s recruitment and promotion processes.
