PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The city recently witnessed two major protests- one by UPNL workers and another by advocates- both taking to the roads blocking traffic on busy roads in core areas on the provisional State capital. The police and district administration facilitated these activities contrary to the direction from the authorities designating a specific protest site. UPNL workers blocked a whole lane adjoining Oarade Ground, while advocates completely blocked the road near Prince Chowk for several hours, causing major incovenience to the public and traffic congestion, especially near the railway station.
Both groups were raising their long-pending demands. The advocates were protesting seeking land allocation for their chambers. Dehradun bar association president Manmohan Kandwal claimed that about 5,000 registered advocates, along with typists, stamp vendors, and clerks, work in the area, and nearly 10,000 people are connected with daily court activities. “We have been demanding that this land be used to construct advocate chambers as there is already a space shorted,”
he added.
Acknowledging the inconvenience caused to the public, one advocate said, “What can we do? We are helpless. The government is not listening to us. If our demands are heard , we will immediately leave the protest site.”
Similarly, UPNL workers district president Ravi Vishkarma said, “This government is ignoring the orders of the Supreme Court and High Court. We only want equal pay and equality in the workplace. We didn’t want to protest, but we were left with no other choice.”
As per official order, Ekta Vihar is the designated site for protests in Dehradun. However, despite the instructions, no one seems to be following them.
