School Chowkidars Monday hold protest demonstration, accusing school education department of delaying the implementation of minimum wage employment Act for the Chowkidars and Contingent paid Workers (CPWs) engaged in the schools.They said that contingent employees engaged in different schools under different categories are paid an amount of Rs 25 to Rs 125 per month from local funds of their respective schools.“Despite working in schools for past more than two decades government is not implementing minimum employment wage Act which is sheer injustice with us,” said State president CPW Union Nazir Ahmad.He said besides delaying the implementation of minimum wages Act, department was not releasing their wages on time. “Besides delivering our duties during official hours we have been tasked to keep safeguard schools during night hours as well. Ironically, department is not implementing minimum wage Act for us,” Ahmad said.
The CPWs union also stated a protest at Srinagar press Enclave on Tuesday and accused the department for denied justice to them. “The irony is that most of us are serving in schools for two decades but department has not regularized our services and our wages are managed from local school funds,” they protesting workers said.They said Jammu Kashmir High Court earlier had directed the school education department to implement minimum wages Act for CPWs ironically the orders were yet to be implemented on ground.“We put our lives in risk to safeguard the schools amid the unrest however we are receiving step-motherly treatment from the department,” they said.Interestingly, in wake of the incidents of burning down of schools, Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) asked the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to depute Chowkidars and CPWs for night duty to safeguard the schools. (CNS)