Port Blair, Sept 26: Andaman Sarvajanik Nirman Vibhag Mazdoor Sangh (ASNVMS), affiliated to CITU, has conducted a one-day mass dharna and procession of the workers of APWD throughout the islands on 25.09.2019 to protest against the decision of the A & N Administration to retrench 11% of the daily rated mazdoors working in the APWD. The main programme was held at Port Blair where several hundreds of workers gathered in front of the office of the Chief Engineer, APWD and shouted slogans voicing their demands. Addressing the workers, Shri B. Chandrachoodan, President of the ASNVMS criticized the Andaman and Nicobar Administration for removing hundreds of workers from the services of APWD. These workers have been working in the APWD for the last several years and were performing the regular nature of work, he said. About 4800 daily rated mazdoors are working in the Divisions of APWD. These workers were engaged to perform the maintenance work, drinking water supply and other operational work since about 3000 regular posts are lying vacant in APWD, he said. He further said that workers who have been transferred to Electricity Department have not been paid their wages for the month of August, 2019 so far. Addressing the APWD workers at the venue of Mass Dharna, Shri TS Sreekumar, General Secretary, Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association called upon the authorities in the Administration to reconsider their decision to retrench the workers of APWD. He said that this is being done as part of the nation-wide privatization-spree unleashed by the government. Shri SP Kalairajan, Circle Secretary, BSNL Employees Union, Port Blair also addressed the gathering.
At Diglipur, a mass dharna in front of the office of the Executive Engineer, Diglipur was held in which hundreds of workers participated. Later on, the workers took out a massive procession in the Diglipur town. Shri Barun Biswas and Shri Timurthy led the programme. At Mayabunder, procession of APWD workers was taken out in the Mayabunder bazaar which culminated in a mass dharna in front of the Executive Engineer’s office at Mayabunder. At Rangat, procession and dharna was organized by the Union in which a good number of APWD workers participated. VK Krishna Das, CITU Middle Andaman Zonal Committee and Karuppaiah, Secretary, ASNVMS addressed the gatherinng. At Havelock, a mass dharna was organized in front of the office of the Assistant Engineer, APWD in which a number of workers of APWD at Havelock participated. At Hut Bay, procession and dharna was organized with the participation of a large number of APWD workers. Mass dharna was held in front of the office of the Executive Engineer at Kamorta, Nancowry in which APWD workers including tribal workers participated in large number. Mass dharna was also held at Katchal under the banner of ASNVMS. The mass dharna ad procession at Campbell Bay was led by Shri Dhandapani.
The other demands raised by the Union during the agitation were (i) grant of 1/30th of pay plus DA to all the daily rated mazdoors (ii) grant Bonus to DRMs as per the order of the High Court (iii) immediate payment of arrears of 1/30th of pay plus DA to all eligible DRMs , (iv) to stop corruption in APWD, etc.
