Sheep husbandry workers without pay for three years

Amin Masoodi

Kupwara, October 16

At least 140 workers, some of them graduates engaged on a need basis in the Sheep Husbandry Department in Kupwara district, have not been paid wages for the past more than three years.

The aggrieved workers said even after the High Court directed the authorities concerned to release their wages in October 2015, they were still unpaid.

The workers said their families were facing starvation-like conditions and they were unable to pay tuition fee of their children in schools.

“We are unable to pay fee of our children in schools. Our families are facing a lot of problems as we continue to remain wage less for over three years,” said Mohammad Ramzan, a worker.

“We made several representations to the directorate and the minister concerned but our pleas always fell on deaf ears,” he said. The department engaged workers on a need basis against a meagre honorarium of Rs 3,000 per month over three years ago.

Abdul Gani Kohli, Minister for Sheep and Animal Husbandry, said, “The government is serious in finding a way out to release their wages and avail their services in the long run. The question of disregarding the court’s directive does not arise.”