Srinagar, Apr 21 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Socio Economic Coordination Committee (JKSECC), an amalgam of various trade organizations (including contractors) and Civil Society formations, while taking serious note of the pitiable conditions of roads mainly the huge potholes and the adverse impact on the developmental works in the valley due continued strike of the contractors who have been on protest for the last month for non release of their due payments on account their jobs already executed and handed over. This situation has been a cause of grave inconvenience for people in general and patients and students in particular.

In this backdrop as also in view the apathy of the government towards contractors, the JKSECC felt the need to request the protesting contractors to relax their strike to the extent of doing the necessary patch work and repairs of the roads which they agreed to do and while respecting our request they have started the work on humanitarian grounds.

We whole heartedly appreciate their agreement to start the work in larger interest of the people who badly have been suffering on this account, particularly, the school going children and patients, pregnant ladies whose buses had to traverse such potholes which have in certain instances even inflicted injuries on small children .
We also take this opportunity to urge the government to meet the genuine demands of the protesting contractors and settle the problem of their pending payments and to sit across on the table with the contractors associations to sort out the issue at the earliest so that the developmental work does not suffer any more, particularly keeping in view the limited working season in the valley. (KNS)