Activists of MIM stage dharna

Nizamabad: The Nizamabad Collectorate on Monday became the venue of dharnas by the activists of the Majlis party (AIMIM) and the IKP Village Organisation Assistants Association to press their separate demands.

While the MIM supporters wanted the State government to immediately pay compensation, along with construction of new houses to those who will be losing their place of dwellings to the Pranahita-Chevella Project, the VOAs called upon the district administration to find solutions to their problems.

According to MIM leader Majaz Ali, the party men raised slogans against the TRS government. He said the residents after building houses had been staying there for years. Speaking to The Hans India, Ali questioned as to how the administration could ask the residents to desert their houses for construction of the project. How can they live without a shelter if they are forcibly evicted, he asked.

He said when the previous government sought to evict the resident, they had obtained a stay order from the court. Now they were again being asked to vacate the houses.

The leader warned the government that the party would be forced to intensify the agitation if the two demands, of paying ompensation and construction of new houses, were not conceded by the government.

Regarding the dharna of VOAs, an employee, Vijayalakshmi said that women staff of the IPK were being denied equal wages that were paid to men.

Although the government was utilising the services of the IPK women employees in all welfare schemes, it was discriminating against them by denying even the minimum wages.

She demanded payment of Rs.15,000 as the minimum wage to the department staff, after recognizing them as government employees. If the demand was not conceded the association would be forced to intensify the agitation.