Srinagar:
Boiling over with rage, J&K government employees clashed with the police in Srinagar refusing to back down.
Nearly 5 lakh government employees have been on strike for the past 7 days, demanding sixth pay commission arrears and an enhancement of the retirement age.
For the government this will be an expenditure of over Rs 4000 crore, which will not be easy considering that the state's annual earnings don't cross Rs 3600 crore. But the employees will not take no for an answer.
"We will continue our struggle till our demands are met," said Sahbir Ahmad Langoo, Employee Leader.
The strike has affected civic facilities and healthcare in the state. Invoking the essential services maintenance act proved ineffective against the striking employees and the government has had to hire migrant workers.
"We have engaged 150 migrant workers from Bengal, Bihar, Nepal to clean streets in Srinagar," said Ghulam Nabi, Government Contractor.
As the standoff continues, problems multiply for ordinary people.
Manzoor Ahmad's father needs abdominal surgery immediately, but though they came from Rajouri seven days ago, he is yet to be admitted to the Jammu Medical College.
"We wanted that the patient would get his tests done immediately so that we could send him for operation, but it was not done in the hospital," said Manzoor Ahmad.
Though the losses incurred due to the ongoing employees strike are huge but the government is no mood to talk with the striking employees just yet. Already, 200 striking employees and their leaders have been arrested but the employees unions are undeterred.