Coal mine workers getting raw deal
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, April 14
Even as the state government makes tall claims of improving working conditions in government undertakings, workers involved in Kalakote and Mogla coal mines allege that they had not been paid their salaries for the past nine months.

The workers, who have been observing a hunger strike since April 9, alleged that the Coal Mines Corporation, a state government entity, had not taken the matter seriously.

The workers alleged that despite their repeated requests for the past few years, the corporation had failed to pay their salaries on a “regular basis”. They said during the past nine months, they had been paid intermittently for just three months.

More than 350 workers are employed in the coal mines. They are also seeking modern facilities, uniforms and residential accommodation from the state government.

Sources said 21 workers inside the Mogla mines had observed a hunger strike. The condition of 10 workers had deteriorated so far and two of them, Babu Lal and Ram Dev, had been admitted to the sub-district hospital at Sunderbani for treatment.

“We just want that our salaries should be paid on a regular basis. The corporation has never taken care of our demands and its attitude towards us is non-serious”, complained Ram Chander, a worker at the Mogla mine.

Meanwhile, managing director, S.S. Anand, admitted that the salary of the workers was pending. He said the backlog of pending salaries was only for the past five months.

“We don't have funds for paying the salaries but will pay the same when we get them. We have taken up the matter with the deputy commissioner who is monitoring the situation closely,” he added.