Port Blair, Apr 03: Andaman Sarvajnik Nirman Vibhag Mazdoor Sangh (CITU) has decided to resort to agitation in front of the offices of APWD throughout the Andaman and Nicobar Islands if the demands raised by the Union are not implemented by the department. A meeting of the Union held at Port Blair on 31st March, 2019 discussed the issues and decided to serve Notice for agitation and accordingly the Notice has been served on the Chief Engineer on the same day. The issues raised by the Union are (i) grant of 1/30th of pay plus DA scheme to the remaining daily rated mazdoors (ii) grant of bonus to DRMs even after order of the High Court (iii) arrears of 1/30th of pay plus DA from 1.9.2017 to DRMs in some of the Divisions and (iv) depositing of EPF deducted from the workers, were discussed.
The meeting of the Union noted with grave concern that a large number of daily rated mazdoors who are otherwise eligible are denied of the benefit of 1/30th of pay plus DA on one reason or other. Requests made to the concerned Executive Engineers did not evoke any positive response so far. The meeting further noted that in two Divisions at Port Blair – PHED and Port Blair South Division – arrears of 1/30th of pay plus scheme with effect from 1.9.2017 are yet to be drawn and paid to those DRMs who have been brought under the scheme. Executive Engineers of the above Divisions were requested several times to disburse the arrears to the workers, but till date no step has been taken to pay the due arrears to the workers.
The meeting further noted that despite the orders of the Hon’ble High Court, the payment of bonus to the daily rated mazdoors working in the APWD are yet to be made. The Union has been taking up this issue continuously with the APWD and Admn but there appears to be no positive result of the demand.
The meeting further noted that EPF subscription deducted from the wages of the daily rated workers are not being deposited with the EPF Commissioner at Port Blair. Repeated assurances from the APWD authorities and Admn to deposit the EPF subscription with the EPF office did not evoke any response from most of the Executive Engineers.
The meeting, after a detailed discussion, decided to begin agitation before the offices of the APWD offices throughout the Andaman & Nicobar Islands by organizing the entire workers working in the APWD till the above demands are implemented by the department. The Union accordingly decided to serve Notice on the APWD/A & N Admn informing its decision to go on agitation including strike.