SUKKUR, May 18: The provincial chief secretary took serious notice of the employees’ strike which was also being observed by the 400 sanitary workers of the Taluka Council, Sukkur, and discussed the issue with District Nazim Sukkur Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on telephone on Saturday.

Mr Shah informed the secretary that the employees of the Taluka Council and sanitary workers were blackmailing the taluka Nazim and demanding that the transfers and posting be made according to their wishes.

He said he had informed the secretary that although the salaries had been paid, the sanitary workers had been on strike for the last four days.

He also informed the secretary that when private labourers were hired to clean the city, the striking employees scuffled with them and four of the strikers were arrested for attacking the labourers.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Syed Kazim Ali Shah said that the employees would not be able to blackmail him and added that stern action would be taken against them.

He said show cause notices were being issued to the employees and if they did not resume their duties, their services would be terminated.

He told the newsmen that the salary budget was Rs7.2 million while the grant that he got from the federal government was Rs4.7 million.

He added that the shortage of Rs3 million was compensated through our other sources of income and this delayed payment.

He said that the delay in payment was not the main issue and added that the employees wanted that transfers and posting be made in consultation with them.

He alleged that the corrupt unionists and the outsiders were exploiting the employees and added that they held him and the TMO hostage and took the law in their own hands.

He said that he constituted a 6-member committee to negotiate with the employees, the talks continued for two days but failed, as the transfer and posting was purely an administrative matter and added that the employees could not be given any right to interfere in this matter.

He said almost 100 to 150 sanitary workers daily remained absent from their duties and when action was initiated against them, they threatened to go on a strike.

He said that he suggested to the government that the sanitary work be privatized, a contractor be appointed, who would be responsible for this whole work.

Meanwhile scuffle was reported between the striking employees and the private labourers hired on daily wages to clean up the garbage in some localities.

According to the police seven striking employees, who were creating law and order problem at clock tower, Bunder road and other vicinities, were arrested and cases had been registered against them.

PETROLEUM PRICES: The president of Sukkur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Engineer Syed Naqib-ul-Hussain Musavi and S.I.T.E Board Director Khalid Mehmood Khan criticized recent increase in petroleum prices and Wapda tariff.

They said that the increase would adversely affect the industrial activities, and render local industry uncompetitive in the international market. They added that it would also cause a price hike in local market.

They further said at a time when the exports had already fallen, the increase would make it impossible to achieve export targets of Rs10 billion. They added that the increase in petroleum prices and Wapda tariff would certainly raise the production cost which would ultimately adversely affect exports.

They said that the increase in petroleum prices would give a chance to Wapda to increase its tariff again which would hit the consumers.

They demanded an immediate withdrawal of the increase.