Panchayats' water supply pump operators seek higher wages

Sangrur, July 20

Members of the Punjab Gram Panchayat Jal Supply Pump Operators Association are resentful against the state government for conceding to their long-pending demands, which include an increase in wages. They said they have been demanding Rs 19,500 in monthly wages similar to those in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. They added that they were being paid Rs 3,000 in Punjab.

Govt turns blind eye

We had started a dharna on October 13, 2023, at the waterworks of Gharachon village (Bhawanigarh) demanding an increase in wages. The protest went on for nearly eight months. We observed a hunger strike as well; however, the government seemed to have turned a blind eye to our demands. — Sukhjit Singh, state president, Jal Supply Pump Operators Association

Speaking to The Tribune today, the state president of the association, Sukhjit Singh, said there were over 1,200 water supply pump operators who work throughout the state under gram panchayats’ control.

Sukhjit said, “We had started a dharna to demand an increase in wages, which began on October 13, 2023, at the waterworks of Gharachon village (Bhawanigarh). The protest went on for about eight months. We observed a hunger strike as well; however, the government seemed to have turned a blind eye towards us.”

He said the association held a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife, Dr Gurpreet Kaur, during the Jalandhar West Assembly byelections. He said she assured them of a quick resolution to their problems. He said Dr Gurpreet also asked them to meet the principal secretary, Ravi Bhagat, to address their issue. Sukhjit said they met the Principal Secretary at Chandigarh, and he also assured the association that their demands would be accepted and decisions on them would be implemented by the first week of August.

Sukhjit said the association also demanded the reinstatement of retrenched pump operators and jobs for the family members of deceased operators. He said the operators were working for meagre wages, and yet, the services of about 25 per cent of the operators were terminated by the gram panchayats.said they would hold a protest at the Moga Deputy Commissioner office on July 22 if their demands were not met.