Self Help Groups (comprising of women) created under Umeed Project in State Rural Livelyhood Mission (SRLM) Wednesday staged a protest in Kashmir capital Srinagar alleging that some of the employees have been harassing them on the one or the other pretext.
Scores of girls from Block Kulgam in South Kashmir, who assembled in Dalgate Srinagar alleged that Block Program Manager (BPM) Sartaj Ahmed Wani and couple of Professional Resources Managers (PRM) have been harassing them during and after working hours.
“Our job is to mobalize workforce who are mostly women. Our office timing is from 10 to 4 but the BPM Block Kulgam has been forcing us to stay till 6 in the evening. A number of hapless girls don’t want to lose their job and are staying till late in the office. We have been defying his orders but he is threatening us of dire consequences,” the protesting girls told news agency CNS.
They said there is something fishy. “It is unfortunate that no action is being taken against the accused. They are using political approach,” they said and requested police to probe the matter.
Director SRLM, Mr Javaid Bakshi said that he has already received this complaint. “We have Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell and there is zero tolerance for any harassment to women. We will probe the matter and initiate action against the accused,” he said and appealed women workers to call Grievance Cell in case they feel unsafe.