*Seek handover of 26 buildings at Zewan
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 9: Employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s (PM) Package today threatened to go on a hunger strike if the Government fails to hand over completed residential buildings at Zewan by September 30.
The warning was issued by the Zewan Welfare Society, which demanded immediate possession of 26 ready-to-occupy buildings that, it said, can accommodate more than 600 families.
The Society also sought expedited completion of the remaining accommodation across the Kashmir Valley.
The Society said structurally complete and safety-certified buildings should be handed over without waiting for the completion of the entire project, while non-essential works could continue in parallel.
It also demanded completion of pending quarters and allied works by September 30, faster installation of lifts, and action against contractors responsible for avoidable delays, wherever established.
It called for a building-wise, realistic schedule for completion and possession of all remaining accommodation across the Valley.
The employees said accommodation remained their sole demand after years of assurances, with many continuing to live in the Valley while their families stayed in Jammu.
“Our only demand is accommodation. We have been waiting for a long time. The buildings that are complete and ready should be handed over to us. We have met several people in this regard and have also visited the completed buildings ourselves,” said Amit, one of the affected employees.
He also cited security concerns among PM Package employees and Kashmiri Pandit families living in the Valley, saying threat letters had been issued to employees and members of the community.
“That is why we are demanding accommodation. We do not know whether we are living in a safe place,” he said.
Another employee, Manish Dhar, said the employees were not opposed to the Government but wanted the accommodation constructed for them at Zewan to be allotted.
“Our only demand is that the accommodation constructed for us at Zewan be allotted. We have information that 26 buildings are ready, and possession should be given so our families can move in,” he said.