Danishwar Hameed
Kulgam, June 17: The District MGNREGA Vendors and Labour Coordination Committee Kulgam today organized a peaceful protest, demanding the immediate release of long-pending material payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.
The protest march commenced from Tehsil Park and culminated at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, where a memorandum was submitted to seek the intervention of higher authorities in resolving their grievances. A large number of vendors and labourers participated in the demonstration, raising slogans to draw attention to the financial crisis caused by the delayed payments.
“We are suffering immensely due to the non-clearance of material bills. Many of us are unable to manage our day-to-day expenses. Despite repeated requests and appeals, our concerns continue to be neglected,” said a representative of the committee while addressing the media.
The protestors made a fervent appeal to both the Central Government and the Union Territory administration of Jammu and Kashmir to expedite the release of pending payments. They cautioned that further delays would not only deepen their economic distress but also halt developmental works being carried out under the MGNREGA scheme.
In a concerning statement, one of the protestors revealed that five members of the committee have been selected to take an extreme step if their demands are not addressed soon. “If our voices continue to be ignored, they will hang themselves, and the responsibility will lie with both the central and UT governments,” he warned.
The protest, while emotional and intense, remained peaceful throughout. The demonstrators reiterated their call for urgent action, hoping their long-standing issues would be resolved without further delay.
