Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 13 August 2025
The Andaman & Nicobar PRI Karmachari Sangh (CITU) on Wednesday staged mass demonstrations across the islands, pressing for the grant of 1/30th of pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA) to all daily rated mazdoors (DRMs) working in Gram Panchayats and seeking regularization of their services.
The central demonstration was held before the Directorate of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Institutions (RD & PRI) at Marine Hill, Sri Vijaya Puram, where a large number of DRMs from Gram Panchayats in the South Andaman rural areas participated.
Inaugurating the protest, B. Chandrachoodan, President of the PRI Karmachari Sangh, strongly criticized the A&N Administration for denying the 1/30th pay benefits to hundreds of DRMs despite a favourable High Court order. “The Administration continues to deprive DRMs of their rightful benefits, and this injustice cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, R. Surendran Pillai, General Secretary of the Sangh, warned that similar agitations would continue if the Administration failed to implement the pay and DA benefits across the Union Territory. CITU Secretaries S.P. Kalairajan and Anand Rajan, along with PRI Karmachari Sangh leaders Asmat Ali, Krishna Rao, and C.H. Jogulu, also led the protest.
Protests Across the Islands:
• Great Nicobar: DRMs staged a demonstration in front of the Assistant Commissioner’s office in Campbell Bay, led by Amit and Vinod, with an address by A. Lawrence.
• Little Andaman: Workers held a procession at Hut Bay Bazaar, culminating in a demonstration before the Tehsildar’s office. M.A. Karim (CITU) and Viju (PRI Karmachari Sangh) addressed the gathering.
• Swaraj Dweep: Protesters gathered before the Assistant Commissioner’s office, with speeches by Parimal Samaddar and Sabita Mani Kumari.
• Diglipur: A demonstration was organized in front of the Assistant Commissioner’s office, where Sunil Bepari and Barun Biswas (CITU) and Shivkumar (PRI Karmachari Sangh) addressed participants.
The union has reiterated that the fight for pay parity and job regularisation for DRMs in Gram Panchayats will intensify if their demands remain unmet.
