Mill workers hold rally

KHARAR, Dec 24: About 1,000 workers of Kharar Textile Mills and Panipat Woolen Mills, both NTC operated mills situated in Kharar, took ou...

KHARAR, Dec 24: About 1,000 workers of Kharar Textile Mills and Panipat Woolen Mills, both NTC operated mills situated in Kharar, took out a massive march here today, to protest the quot;indifferentquot; attitude of the mill managements towards their long-pending demands.The protesters, who included the wives and children of mill workers, raised slogans against the mill management, while carrying anti-management placards.

The march which started from the gate of Kharar Textile Mills passed through the main roads, streets and the Panipat Woolen Mills before culminating at the tehsil complex in front of the SDM8217;s office, where a rally was held.

Leaders of mill workers8217; unions and various political parties addressed the rally and asked the mill managements to immediately fulfill the genuine demands of the workers. The leaders also met Kharar SDM Avtar Chand Sharma and apprised him of the demands of mill workers. The SDM assured them that he would take up the matter with the mill managements for an early solution.

The main demand of the mill workers include implementation of the decision of the Industrial Tribunal on September 17, 1998, restraining the mill management from deducting Rs. 60 per month from the salaries of workers. It was alleged that Rs. 60 per month was being deducted from the salary of every worker since 1995 by the mill management. The workers have been holding protest dharnas and gheraoing mill managers since the last 12 days.

Man killed: A trainee at the Swaraj Combine Factory situated in the nearby Chapparchiri village, was crushed to death by an unidentified vehicle on the Kharar-Banur road here last night. According to police sources, the deceased was returning from the factory, when the incident took place. The quot;killerquot; vehicle was not identified due to the intense fog, police sources added. The police have registered a case, while further investigations are going on.