Ignored for years, watchmen ask government for hike in monthly stipend: Khaira
Sunday, 24/08/2014
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=113338&boxid=59957&uid=&dat=2014-08-24
Jalandhar : Punjab Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira in association with the ‘Pendu Chowkidar Union’ on Saturday demanded a hike in the monthly stipend of the ‘chowkidar’ or ‘watchman’ from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira said that the watchmen were getting a meagre Rs 800 which should be increased to Rs 3,500 per month stipend. He said that despite working day and night for government duties in the villages, they were living a life of penury and finding it hard to make both ends meet.
Addressing a press conference, Khaira said that he had received a memorandum from ‘Pendu Chowkidar Union’ of Punjab for raising their voice for justice. “There were 10,500 chowkidars in the villages, who had been running from pillar to post for the last many years for suitable wages, but to avail,” he said.
Khaira accompanied by district presidents of the Pendu Chowkidar Union said that while the Haryana government had raised the rates of the honorarium from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,500 per month, the Punjab government had turned a blind eye and was paying Rs 800 only. A notification was also issued by the Haryana government in this regard on December 10, last year.
Even the watchmen namely Swaran Singh and Harbhajan Singh from Jalandhar and Kapurthala said that keeping in view the steep inflation and the nature of job, their honorarium should be increased to Rs 3,500 per month.
Khaira also maintained that if the Badal government was finding it hard to dole out a meager amount for the upliftment of the watchmen, then he should abolish the posts of ‘chowkidar’ and liberate them from the bondage of the day-night duties. “If needed, we would also launch an agitation and approach the High Court too,” he added.
The spokesperson further said that despite the fact that the ‘Pendu Chowkidar Union’ had got a favourable order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the year 2004. “Justice Surya Kant had directed a ‘resonable’ and ‘respectable’ hike in the honorarium of the watchmen. At that time the then Capt Amarinder government had increased the honorarium to Rs 800,” he said.
