The daily wagers of forest department in Baramulla who have not been paid for over 8 months were on Tuesday assigned to look after the quarantine centre at Shahkoote area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Talking to news agency. daily wagers of forest department said that they have not been paid their wages for about 8 months instead have been asked to look after quarantine centers.
They said that they get meagre wages that too after several months of hard work. “Despite working with best of efforts government has turned a blind eye from their sufferings.” “Not only have we worked on directions of department but in field and have done assigned works as well but we get only three thousand to thirty two hundred as wages,” they said.
They said that now they have been assigned to look after quarantine centre at Shahkoote which is very risky and they don’t have any experience of it. The daily wagers also said now they are made to risk their lives for want of few bucks that they get after several months despite working round the clock. They urged the government to look into the matter and not to make their family members suffer.
Meanwhile the concerned Divisional Forest Officer, Mohammad Maqbool said that he has not issued any order regarding the duty of daily wagers at a quarantine centre. “The order has been issued by Sub-Divisional Magistrate without our consent. Still I have conveyed daily wagers not to attend the duty there because it’s not their job,” he said. ( KNO )
