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Sack notice creates ripples in Himachal

Kanwar Yogendra

Over a thousand daily wagers to be axed

SHIMLA: The removal of 1,638 daily wagers from their jobs in Dharampur sub-division of Mandi district in Public Works Department is going to take centre-stage on the sleepy Himachal political scene after the State government issued them notices on Saturday asking them to stop coming to work after May 23. Their services in the PWD would be treated as discontinued after that day, the notice added.

The State unit CITU in its historic May Day rally here had declared it would go for a "fight till finish" if this anti-workers decision is not withdrawn.

The State Committee has given a strike call for May 18 against the Virbhadra government's decision to retrench the PWD workers, said Khushal Bhardwaj the CPI-M leader from Mandi District.

Decision criticised

A majority of these affected labourers and their families had participated in the May Day rally here and had strongly criticised this decision.

The local independent MLA Mahendra Singh too had staged numerous protests in the past along with the union leaders. But after joining the BJP he now prefers the course of law by seeking a `court stay' instead of a direct agitation against the government decision.

The Congress government has alleged that Mr. Singh had gone out of his way to appoint these workers when he was the PWD Minister in the Dhumal-led coalition government. The Government pleads that the work for which they were engaged is already over.

Personal discord

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's open discord and dislike for Mahendra Singh is not unknown. The later is known to have embarrassed the Chief Minister umpteen times even in the Assembly by levelling all types of charges while questioning his feudal attitude and anti-poor stance.

The process of removal of these workers from PWD began before the Lok Sabha elections but it was stalled due to possible resentment in the area against the Congress candidate.

Now after giving some cash in advance the workers are sure to be removed under rule-25 of the department. Sources said 50 labourers would be retrenched immediately.

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Sack notice creates ripples in Himachal

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