Water and Sanitation workers stage dharna

“All Assam Water and Sanitation Workers Association” staged dharna at the office of the Director, Water and Sanitation Support Organisation, Public Health Engineering Department, Betkuchi (opposite Balaji Temple) on 27th December, 2013 at 11am in support of various demands. Block Resource Centre Co-Coordinators (BRCC) and Cluster Resource Centre Co-coordinators (CRCC) engaged in various parts of the state had joined in the protest. Protesters demanded to increase salary of BRCC to Rs. 15000 from present salary of Rs.5000 and to increase salary of CRCC to Rs. 13500 from present salary of Rs. 4500. Regularization of service was one of the prime demands of protesters. They also demanded to provide facilities like provident fund, Insurance etc. They demanded to provide a sustainable work environment for contractual employees of the Public Health Engineering Department, Assam.

It is to be noted that Public Health Engineering Department took an initiative to appoint BRCC and CRCC in the state to look after works of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan. The eligibility criteria for both the posts were Graduation preferably with Mass Communication, Rural Development, and Social Science etc. All BRCC’s and CRCC’s were appointed on contractual basis. But highly qualified BRCC’s and CRCC’s have been getting very less salary due to negligence of the department. All Assam Water and Sanitation Workers Association have been demanding to fulfill their demands at various levels. Delegations of the Association met PHED Minister and Higher officials of the department many times. But no one has taken any step to fulfill their demands. Association has demanded to fulfill their demands before upcoming Loksabha election through a memorandum submitted to the Director, Water and Sanitation Support Organisation of Public Health Engineering Department. Otherwise the Association will start strong democratic movement with after Lok Sabha Election.