'Resolve issues or we'll block highways'

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, December 11

The indefinite strike by the contractual employees of the government-run de-addiction centres, rehabilitation centres and OOATs across the state entered the sixth day on Saturday.

It was alleged by the striking employees that during the strike at the Punjab Civil Secretariat, Sector 2, Chandigarh, the employees were treated badly by the Chandigarh Police. They were cane-charged and arrested. They alleged that even after this, no heed was given to their demands by the government.

Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni and the Principal Secretary, Health, had meetings with them, but these too remained fruitless as no notification had been issued so far regarding their demands, they said.

Union’s state general secretary Parshant Adia and district president Gurmit Singh said the contractual employees were working in drug de-addiction centres at great personal risk as many patients, having a criminal background, visited the centres, yet the Punjab Government was not taking care of them. We got nothing but false promises and assurances, they alleged. If the government continued with its apathetic attitude, they would have to come to roads and block all the highways in the state, they added.