HT Bureau
DIPHU, Aug 8: In alignment with the state, the temporary workers of Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd. (APDCL) from the Karbi Anglong NC Hills (KANCH) Electrical Circle, under the banner of the Assam State Outsource Power Workers Union (ASOPWU), staged a two-hour sit-in demonstration in front of the office of the APDCL chief executive officer, KANCH Electrical Circle, here on Thursday. The demonstration aimed to present the various grievances of the outsource workers to the government of Assam. The event started at 11 am and ended at 1 pm.
Rajeshwar Khaklari, president of ASOPWU for the KANCH Electrical Circle, stated that similar demonstrations are being held in all 19 electrical circles in Assam to address the grievances of the outsource workers engaged by APDCL.
Related Posts:
Khaklari noted that the state government has not yet taken steps to regularise the jobs of 5,233 temporary workers employed by APDCL. These workers include technical assistants, bill clerks, meter readers, bill distributors, cooks, drivers, and others. The Union demanded that, as per resolution No.93 (I) and (II) by the managing board of APDCL, these temporary workers should be regularised. Some workers have already been employed for 15 to 20 years, he added.
Khaklari also mentioned that temporary workers who have been employed for over ten years receive Rs 17,000 per month, those working for five to less than ten years receive Rs 14,000 per month, and those employed for less than five years receive Rs 12,000 per month. There are 200 temporary workers under the KANCH Electrical Circle alone, Khaklari said.
The president also stated that workers are allowed to work for 89 days, with contracts being renewed every three months. This system, he argued, should be abolished.
The Union also demanded that the government halt the 5,000 new appointments before regularising the current number of temporary workers. Khaklari lamented that temporary workers do not receive compensation from the government in case of death while on duty.
If the state government fails to address the problems of the temporary workers, the Union will hold another demonstration in front of Bijuli Bhawan in Guwahati on August 29.
