VASCO
The workers along with their families gathered at Headland Sada junction and later marched to Laxmi Narayan temple at Sada and voiced their grievances to the locals of the Sada area. Addressing the gathering, most of the speakers highlighted the the problems they faced due to non-payment of salaries for the last eight months. “In next few days, the festival of Lord Damodar at Vasco will begin and we do not have enough money to buy new clothes for our children,” said Mahesh Naik. “Soon after the Saptah is Ganesh Chaturti and then Deepavali and if we do not get our salary before these two festivals, then we do not know how to bring the joy of these festivals on the faces of our children,” added Naik. WISL Workers Union general secretary Seby Pereira told The Goan that Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had promised to solve their problem during the budget session. “We have been agitating for the last several months, but all our pleas have fallen on the deaf ears of the government and the local politician whom we helped during the election,” said Pereira. “Alex Pacheco, union president, and Vishnu Naik are on a fast unto death at Azad Maidan in Panaji. Their health is deteriorating and despite all this the government is silent,” added Pereira. “If our salary problem is not solved in the next two days, then our women and children will once again take to the streets and will not even hesitate to join the hunger strike at Azad Maidan,” warned Pereira. When contacted, Mormugao Councillors Sarika Palkar, Bhavana Bhosle and Murari Bandekar, who were seen in the rally, said they are supporting the WISL workers, as the workers are denied their salaries for the last eight months.
