PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Haridwar
The continuing agitation by the diploma engineers, under the banner of Uttarakhand Diploma Engineers Federation, at the Public Works Department campus has cast its shadow on the preparations for the Kumbh Mela 2027. The diploma engineers have been on the agitation path for several days, pitching for their 27-point demand and protesting against the State government’s alleged dependence on contractual engineers.
Defending their decision to go on strike, an engineer in the Public Works Department, Anita Bhandari said that that all important works related to Kumbh Mela are currently being handled by contract workers. “Even major and technically sensitive projects like RCC and bridges are currently being handled by contract engineers, which is a very serious issue. Kumbh is not just an event in Haridwar, but a festival associated with the faith of the entire country. Therefore, any laxity or technical compromise in the construction work could create significant problems in the future,” she warned.
She further said that the government and administration had already been warned that if their demands were not met, the engineers would be forced to go on strike. “Now, with our demands remaining unmet, junior engineers and assistant engineers are on strike,” she added.
The agitating engineers said that the contract workers, who are not even permanent, are being given responsibility for permanent construction projects. They, however, expressed the hope that the talks with the State government slated on April 2 would yield a positive solution, ending the strike and allowing development work to resume at a normal pace.
The engineers from key departments such as the Public Works Department, Haridwar-Roorkee Development Authority, Irrigation Department, Municipal Corporation, Rural Development Department and Engineering Services are participating in this strike.
Observers say that if a solution is not found soon, the strike might jeopardise the Kumbh Mela preparations as well as development works in the district.
