HYDERABAD: Emplo­yees of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) stopped water supply for a few hours in protest against non-payment of salaries, pension and other dues, but later postponed the agitation for 15 days after holding dialogue with the authorities concerned on Wednesday.

They demonstrated under the aegis of the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) Mehran Workers Union (CBA) at the new filter plant on Jamshoro Road by stopping the supply at around 10am, but later restored it at 2pm after holding parleys with the Wasa MD, revenue and police officials.

CBA general secretary Mohammad Aslam Abbasi told reporters that the union wanted to get all pending dues paid to employees forthwith, but the authorities promised to fulfil demands within 10 to15 days, therefore the protest was called off for the time being.

He said that there were around 3,000 workers and pensioners, including 1,000-1,200 regular workers, 1,000-1,200 daily wage earners and work-charged employees and 650 pensioners of the agency.

He said the regular workers and pensioners had been deprived of salaries and pensions for seven months, while work-charged and daily wage earners were not being paid salaries for nine months. He also said that other dues of employees in terms of gratuity, general provident fund and others were still pending for a long time.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2020