Patiala 21 May- PWD Field and Workshop Workers Union Punjab staged a dharna in front of the district office and sent a demand letter to the Punjab government and higher officials through the Superintending Engineer.
Addressing the dharna, Kuldeep Singh Ghagga, Rajpal Singh Lasoi, Lakhwinder Khanpur and Gurcharan Dhanoa said that as per the decision of the state committee and meeting, a dharna is to be organized at the circle level from 20 May to 30 May against the plan of the head offices to take action against the junior engineers promoted under the 15 percent quota by the Water Supply and Sanitation Department and against the government handing over the rural water supply to the Panchayats in the name of making it a Panchayat and on 09-06-2025, a Punjab level dharna will be organized by the field employees at the Patiala office of the Chief Engineer Water Supply and Sanitation Department.
A Dharna will be organized at Head Office, Sector 27 A, Plot No. 1B, Chandigarh against Chief Executive Officer, Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board, Chandigarh for not resolving the issues of field staff of Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board.
Addressing the gathering, leaders of the organization Darsan Belu Majra, Dharampal Lot, Gurmel Singh Ghanour and Jarnail Singh, Hardev Singh, Darsan Fatehgarh Sahib, Pawan Kumar, Bant Ram said that in the meeting held by the organization regarding the demands of field staff, government's instructions from Head Office, whether it is letter regarding DA arrears, are not sent to the circles so that the work of field staff can be done at circle level in view of the instructions issued by Head Office. Addressing the Dharna, Ranjit Singh, Taj Ali, Harbhajan Singh Lang, Desraj Choda, Harvir Singh Sanam, Gurcharan Bhatti leaders said that all types of temporary employees should be regularized, old pension scheme should be implemented in Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, service rules of departmental sewerage board should be made.
Promotion channel should be implemented for grade four field employees, promotion channel should be given to contact employees, salary should be increased and arrangement should be made to pay salary on priority basis to contract and regular employees in the field, pending dues of retired employees should be paid, vacant posts should be filled, contract system should be stopped and regular recruitment should be done etc., these demands are not being resolved.
Field employees from Patiala district will participate in large numbers in the protests organized by the state committee. It was decided in the meeting that field employees will participate in large numbers in the strike being organized by central trade unions on July 9.