Jal Sahiyas of East Singhbhum Protest Over Unpaid Honorariums, Threaten Escalation to State Level

2300 Jal Sahiyas from East Singhbhum stage sit-in over unpaid honorariums for 50 months; Deputy Commissioner presented with 16-point demand.

JAMSHEDPUR – Unpaid for nearly four years, Jal Sahiyas from all blocks of East Singhbhum district held a peaceful sit-in protest at the district headquarters this Monday.

The protest was organized over the issue of non-payment of honorariums and incentive amounts for the last 50 months.

Despite repeated attempts to bring the issue to light at the departmental level, no steps have been taken to address the problem, leading to financial distress among the Jal Sahiyas.

The aggrieved workers submitted a comprehensive 16-point demand letter to the Deputy Commissioner as part of their protest.

The district of East Singhbhum hosts around 2300 water bodies, all of which are managed by these Jal Sahiyas. Neetu Singh, the District President of Jharkhand State Jal Sahiya Sangh East Singhbhum, has been vocal about their plight. “Despite lodging complaints at every level, no solution has been offered so far,” she said.

In an ultimatum, Singh has warned that if their demands are not met, the matter will be escalated to the Chief Minister and the Governor. She added, “Despite faithfully serving the people in accordance with the government’s guidelines, our pleas are continually ignored.”