Bandipora, August 18: Public Health Engineering (PHE) contractors on Tuesday padlocked the PHE Division office in Bandipora to protest alleged delays in the payment of long-pending bills for works executed under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The protest was held under the banner of the J&K PHE Contractors Coordination Committee (J&K PHCCC), with contractors demanding immediate clearance of pending bills, security deposits and retention money, besides resolution of other issues related to JJM works.
The protesting contractors locked the PHE Division office and displayed a poster listing their demands. They alleged that payments for completed works had remained pending for a prolonged period, creating financial difficulties for contractors and affecting their ability to carry out ongoing projects.
The contractors demanded immediate clearance of outstanding JJM payments and said timely release of funds was necessary to enable them to continue work and complete water-supply projects within the stipulated timelines.
They also sought the release of security deposits and retention money, along with action on other pending issues raised by the contractors’ body.
The protest in Bandipora was part of a wider agitation by PHE contractors, who reportedly padlocked division offices at multiple locations across Kashmir over the issue of pending payments.
The contractors urged the concerned authorities to intervene and resolve the matter, warning that continued delays in clearing dues could affect the execution of JJM-related works.
The protesters said they would continue to press for clearance of their outstanding payments and resolution of their demands.
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