<\/p>\n
Srinagar: In a strong expression of mounting resentment against the occupation authorities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, contractors associated with the Power Department locked the department\u2019s divisional office in Handwara in protest against the non-payment of their long-pending bills.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protesting contractors said they had completed several water supply schemes in different areas of the division but had not received their payments for a long time. They said repeated requests and representations to the concerned officials had produced no result, forcing them to take the extreme step of locking the office.<\/p>\n
The contractors said the prolonged delay in clearing their dues had pushed them into severe financial distress, leaving them unable to pay labourers and suppliers who had worked on the projects. \u201cWe have completed several works under the department as directed, but our payments are still pending. The department must clear the dues without further delay,\u201d said Sajad Ahmad, a contractor from Handwara.<\/p>\n
Another contractor questioned the attitude of the officials. \u201cWe are unable to understand why the authorities are reluctant to clear our bills despite the release of funds,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The protesters warned that if their payments were not released in the coming days, they would be forced to dismantle the completed works as a mark of protest. They urged the authorities to intervene immediately and settle their genuine dues.<\/p>\n
Observers say such protests by contractors and employees reflect the deepening anger and frustration among different sections of society in the occupied territory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Srinagar: In a strong expression of mounting resentment against the occupation authorities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, contractors associated with the Power Department locked the department\u2019s divisional office in Handwara in protest against the non-payment of their long-pending bills. According to Kashmir Media Service, the protesting contractors said they had completed several …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-196457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-indian-occupied-jammu-and-kashmir"],"yoast_head":"\n