Daily wagers of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department once again took to the streets of Jammu on Monday, demanding that the long-awaited report on their regularization be tabled in the Assembly. This marks the second major protest within just five days, underscoring the growing frustration among temporary workers who have served the department for years without job security.
Hundreds of protestors under the banner of the PHE Employees United Front (Jammu Province) gathered at the Jal Shakti office, shouting slogans such as “We want justice,” “Report ko Assembly mein table karo,” and “Daily wagers ko regularise karo.” Their message was clear—after years of uncertainty, they want transparency and action.
“This is our second major protest during this Assembly session,” said Ravi Hans, the leader of the United Front. “We are not asking for charity; we are asking for justice. The government must table the committee’s report during this session and act upon it immediately.”
Hans urged opposition parties to step forward and support the cause by pressing the government to release the report. He added that the term of the committee had already ended in September, yet the workers still remain in the dark about the status of the report.
The issue traces back to when the Omar Abdullah-led government announced the formation of a committee to draft a policy for regularizing daily wagers. That committee was granted six months to present its findings—by September 19—but to date, the workers have received no clarity on its outcome.
Formed officially on March 19, the six-member committee was tasked with examining humanitarian, legal, and financial aspects of regularizing over 67,000 daily wage workers across Jammu and Kashmir. Headed by the Chief Secretary, it was expected to propose a roadmap to resolve one of the region’s most persistent employment challenges.
Now, as another Assembly session unfolds, the daily wagers’ patience wears thin. “We don’t want to disrupt public life,” Hans said. “But if the government continues to ignore us, we will have no choice but to intensify our protests.”
Behind the slogans and marches lies a deeper story of human endurance and dignity. For decades, these workers have kept essential services running — water flowing, systems functioning — often under uncertain and unfair conditions. Their demand for regularization is not just about jobs; it’s about recognition, stability, and respect for their contribution to society. The government’s response in the coming days will determine not only the fate of these workers but also its commitment to justice and accountability.
