Handicraft, Handloom, Horticulture employees protest for pending salaries

Srinagar, Jan 1: The employees of Arts Emporium, Handloom Development Corporation and Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Produce Marketing & Processing Corporation (JKHPMC) held a joint protest at Srinagar’s press enclave on Monday demanding the release of their pending salaries.
They demanded the release of their salaries pending from last six months and inclusion in 7th Pay Commission.
Around 100 in number, the employees were staging the protest under the banner of Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC).
Acting President of EJAC Fayaz Shabnum told The Kashmir Monitor that “If their salaries are not being released, all EJAC members will come on road and the protest will continue.”
Refuting the employees claims that they were not paid for six months now, Rakesh Sharma, Director Handloom Development Corporation, said “there are only six months of pending arrears with the Corporation from the past.”
“Their salaries have been released. Yes there are some six months of arrears, but they are from previous years when the corporation was suffering heavy losses,” he said.