Arjitha sevas (paid services) in most of the temples across the district are likely to be hit from August 9 with the Joint Action Committee of the Telangana Archaka Udyoga Sangham gearing to revive its agitation for payment of enhanced salaries to all the archakas and other temple employees including contract, consolidated and outsourced staff as per the G.O. 577 on par with the State government employees.
The members of the JAC consisting of archakas working in various temples in the town staged a demonstration by wearing black badges in front of Guntu Malleswara Swamy Temple here on Monday as a sign of protest against the alleged delay in implementation of G.O. 577 in toto.
The local leaders of the JAC deplored the Endowments Department’s delay in ensuring payment of salaries as per the Pay Revision Commission (PRC)-2015 to all the archakas and other temple staff as promised by the State government in September last year.
They said the Endowments Department increased the salaries of only 780 staff including archakas as against 5,625 employees of various temples all over the State entitled to enhanced wages as per the G.O. They demanded the State government disbursal of hiked wages to all the archakas and other temple staff on the first day of every month on par with government employees, and rectify lapses if any in cadre strength proceedings.
They threatened to refrain from arjita sevas in the temples from August 9 and further intensify the agitation if the government failed to concede the JAC’s long-pending charter of demands. Archaka Sangham district president D. Veerabhadra Sarma and others attended the meeting. The representatives of the District Brahmana Sangam, the members of various Baktha Mandalis and others extended their support to the black-badge protest by the members of the JAC.
