Peerzada Sayeed
Karnah, Nov 10 (JKNS): Temporary employees working under the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in Sub-Division Karnah have been facing severe hardships and uncertainty for several years.
Despite rendering essential services to the department, these workers continue to receive meagre monthly wages, with no significant increase in their remuneration and no concrete steps taken towards their regularisation.
According to available information, the temporary employees posted in Karnah are being paid merely Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000 per month, an amount insufficient to meet even their basic household expenses amid rising inflation. Despite receiving such meagre wages, they continue to perform physically demanding duties and shoulder important responsibilities to ensure the smooth functioning of the public ration distribution system.
The most concerning aspect is that the entire Sub-Division Karnah has only five such workers engaged in handling and unloading ration supplies. These five employees are responsible for unloading ration stocks arriving at Lountha Grainery, as well as various other ration depots and distribution centres across the sub-division.
Despite the severe shortage of manpower, the workload on these employees remains exceptionally high. They continue to perform their duties day and night, often under difficult weather conditions, including heavy snowfall and rainfall, to ensure that the supply of ration to the general public is not disrupted and that consumers receive their entitled supplies on time.
It is worth mentioning that Karnah is a remote border sub-division where difficult geographical conditions and harsh weather frequently create additional challenges in carrying out official responsibilities. In such circumstances, the services rendered by these limited workers become even more significant. However, despite their continuous efforts and contribution, their genuine concerns have remained largely unaddressed.
Local residents and concerned sections of society believe that employees who have been carrying out essential departmental responsibilities for years deserve fair treatment and financial security. At the very least, their monthly wages should be revised in accordance with the prevailing cost of living. Furthermore, the authorities should seriously examine the possibility of their regularisation or provide them relief through an appropriate policy framework.
Public representatives and affected employees have urged senior officials of the department, the District Administration Kupwara and the concerned government authorities to take immediate cognisance of their plight. They have demanded a substantial enhancement in their monthly wages, deployment of additional manpower to reduce the existing workload, and a concrete decision regarding the regularisation of these long-serving temporary employees.
The contribution of these workers should not be overlooked merely because they are engaged on a temporary basis. Their role in maintaining the essential ration supply system across Karnah is crucial, and ensuring their financial dignity, better working conditions and a secure future deserves the immediate attention of the concerned authorities. (JKNS)
