Protests galore in pilgrim city

Tirupati: The pilgrim city on Monday witnessed several protests by various sections of employees taking to streets against the government for its apathy in conceding their demands.

Braving the heavy downpour, the employees took out a procession that culminated in a dharna before the offices here.

Contract employees working in Electricity department, under the banner of United Electricity Contract

Employees Union (UECEU), affiliated to CITU, staged a dharna at SPDCL CMD office, demanding regularisation.

CITU senior leader K Murali flayed Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for not keeping his promise of regularising electricity employees working on contract basis, which he gave gave during 2019 election. ‘The CM, when he was in Opposition, said that electricity employees are pivotal in ensuring power supply and observed that supporting them is his first priority. But after coming to power, he forgot his promise and betrayed contract employees,’ he criticised. Murali warned that CM Jagan will pay heavy price soon for his betrayal.

United Electricity Employees Union (of regular employees) extended support to the contract employees stir. A delegation of union leaders including K Venugopal, Arogyadas, Narayana and others submitted a memorandum to SPDCL CMD K Santhosh Rao. He assured the leaders to submit their demands to higher authorities for consideration.

In view of the electricity employees protest, heavy police bandobast was set up at SPDCL corporate office. Meanwhile, Anganwadi workers and helpers, who were on an indefinite strike, staged a dharna at municipal office circle, disrupting traffic for about one hour in the busy junction that connects many arterial roads in the city. Anganwadi workers, helpers and ayahs were on strike for the last three weeks, demanding increase of monthly wage to Rs 26,000 and payment of gratuity.

Municipal contract employees, including those working in health and engineering departments, who are also on strike for the past 14 days, tried to besiege the Collectorate here but were stopped by police.

The contract employees working in health department are demanding increase of minimum wage to Rs 26,000 per month, while employees of engineering wing are seeking salary hike as per PRC report.

Union leaders G Balasubrahmanyam, Lakshmi and others alleged that the YSRCP leaders including corporators were threatening the employees on strike to resume duty.

South Central Railway Employees Sangh began a relay fast at Tirupati railway station to press the management to implement old pension policy by replacing the present new pension scheme as the new pension scheme is not at all beneficial to the employees Sangh Tirupati Branch secretary P Jayakumar and others were present.