Daily wagers from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department once again took to the streets in Jammu on Monday, urging the government to table the long-awaited report on the regularization of their services in the ongoing Assembly session.
This marks the second major protest within just five days, led by the PHE Employees United Front (Jammu Province), who earlier raised their voices on October 23 — the very first day of the current Assembly session.
Gathered in large numbers at the Jal Shakti office, protesters chanted slogans demanding justice and immediate action: “Report ko Assembly mein table karo!” and “Daily wagers ko regularise karo!” The frustration among the workforce was evident, as they called upon both the ruling government and the opposition to prioritize their decades-long struggle for job security.
“We have held a major protest here for the second time during this Assembly session. The government must fulfil its promise and table the report on regularization without any further delay,” said Ravi Hans, leader of the PHE Employees United Front. He added that if the government continued to ignore their demands, the workers would have no choice but to escalate their agitation.
The issue dates back to the Omar Abdullah government, which had established a committee to draft a regularization plan for daily wagers. The committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, was tasked with reviewing humanitarian, legal, and financial aspects concerning nearly 67,000 daily wage workers across Jammu and Kashmir. Although the committee was expected to present its report by September 19, the deadline has long passed, and workers remain uncertain about its fate.
Hans emphasized that the workers were not looking to create public inconvenience but only wanted fairness and stability after years of service. “We are not demanding luxury — only dignity, recognition, and regularization. The government must keep its word,” he said.
Behind every slogan lies a story of struggle, hope, and perseverance — of thousands of workers who have dedicated their lives to public service without the assurance of stability. Their plea is not just administrative; it’s deeply human. They are asking for acknowledgment, fairness, and the right to live with dignity. The question now rests with the government: Will justice finally be served to those who keep the water flowing across Jammu and Kashmir?
