Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 10

After job security assurance from Agriculture Minister Ram Lal Markanda, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers have ended their fast at Kaza today.

Markanda said once the takeover of the Sumdo-Kaza-Gramphu road from the BRO by the PWD was complete, the workers would be shifted to the PWD and their job would be secured.

Around 213 locals of the Spiti valley had been engaged by the BRO in a road-clearing operation on the Sumdo-Kaza-Gramphu stretch. The road has been handed over to the PWD for maintenance, which has created uncertainty for the workers. They had started a chain hunger strike at Kaza to pressurise the government to provide them employment. Markanda met the agitated BRO workers yesterday.

Additional District Magistrate, Kaza, Gyan Sagar Negi visited the workers and offered them juice to end their strike. He said their demand was genuine and the minister had assured them of job security.