Sangrur, January 16

A large number of workers of the Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation today held a dharna and took out a protest march in Dirba. The dharna was organised under the banner of ‘Janglat Workers Union Punjab’.

They were demanding an increase in their wages and regularisation of the services of temporary workers.

Union leaders asked the AAP government to increase the wages of forest workers by 25 per cent and regularise services of temporary workers. Some leaders also demanded Rs 26,000 per month as monthly wages for workers. They also demanded reinstatement of the retrenched workers.

The protesters took out a march after the dharna. Seeing the resentment among workers, the administration gave a letter to the union, mentioning that their meeting with the Finance Minister would be held on February 23. Jaswinder Singh Soja, senior vice-president of the union, said that if the Finance Minister failed to accept and implement their demands in the meeting, they would be compelled to intensify their agitation.