Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Jun 26: The members of the Karnataka State Licensed Electrical Contractors’ Association staged a protest on Thursday June 25 seeking fulfillment of their demands in front of the deputy commissioner’s office at Rajathadri in Manipal.

Nagraj Rao, president of the Association’s district unit said, “The state government should allow the short contractors to work in rural areas. There is need for an increase in SR rate list and immediate measures must be taken to pay bills soon after the labour is awarded to contractors.”

He alleged that contract work worth crores is slipping into the hands of local contractors. “Hence, it will be a huge problem for the small contractors. The concerned department is completely ignoring the interest of licensed electrical contractors,” added Rao.

The other demands are as follows:

Differentiating electrical contract work from civil construction

To increase RS rate for 50 percent on emergency and immediate bill payment

Clarification on considering local contractors for drinking water project of Rs 5 lac which comes under E and I Ganga Kalyan Project.

They government must pay bills of labour award management contractors soon after their work

To compensate electrical casualties

To take action against ESCOM companies because they are exploiting contractors

Shrikanth Shenoy, Raghavendra Rao, and other association members were present.