Drug De-addiction Employees Union announces statewide stir on March 5

Chandigarh: The Govt Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Employees Union Punjab on Tuesday announced a state-wide strike on March 5 against the state govt over the "continued neglect" of its legitimate demands.The union said the strike would be held under the banner of the govt's anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh'.Parminder Singh, the state president of the union, said it was unfortunate that employees who were working on the front lines of the campaign to make Punjab drug-free were now compelled to launch an agitation for their own rights.He alleged that while the govt claimed to be committed to eradicating drugs, it continuously ignored the demands of employees who formed the backbone of the campaign.Parminder stated that several meetings were held with the govt from time to time, but these remained inconclusive. The union has been raising its concerns for a long period, but the authorities adopted a delaying approach on each occasion, he added.Parminder further claimed that chief minister Bhagwant Mann gave the union time for meetings on five occasions but did not hold a single meeting with its representatives.He said, in the absence of any hearing, the union decided to intensify its protest. A strike will be held in Chandigarh on March 5, during which the union plans to inform the public about the exploitation of employees working at the grassroots level under the anti-drug campaign, said the state president.The union said the strike would continue until the govt accepted its demands. It also urged the govt, through the media, to immediately address the concerns of employees who were working towards the goal of a drug-free Punjab and to release their pending 12% arrears at the earliest.MSID:: 128751586 413 |