MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 21: Around 150 field workers of the AJK electricity department held a protest demonstration here on Monday, accusing their top officials of unfair distribution of tents and other relief materials. Chanting slogans against the secretary for electricity, chief engineer and the secretary for services and general administration, the protestors threatened to go on strike if their grievances were not addressed within a week.

Zulfikar Minhas, a representative of the protesting employees, told journalists that the strength of field staff - from assistant lineman to line superintendent - was around 600 in the Muzaffarabad district and of them only 80 had so far been provided with tents. He said the rest had been left at the mercy of circumstances who were living on their own arrangements in abject conditions.

He alleged that authorities of the electricity department were not making fair distribution of relief items, mainly tents, which the AJK services and general administration department had received from different city governments of the country.

“Officials of the services and general administration are hand in glove with our high-ups because they have turned a blind eye towards the unjust distribution of relief goods,” he said.

Mr Minhas pointed out that field workers had worked day and night in difficult circumstances to restore power supply in worst-hit areas but in return they had got nothing. On the other hand, he lamented, those who had shirked their duties due to any reason had been rewarded with relief goods.