Owing to a rift between the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) and the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), two employees of the PWSSB did not officially retire despite their superannuation on August 31.
The employees — Suresh Kumar and Ramesh Singh — have been working in the colonies under the LIT, but have not been given salary since April. However, the duo could not even celebrate their retirement as no official document was issued to them.
The two employees, along with 21 other employees, are participating in a chain hunger strike for the past 17 days at the LIT office due to insensitive attitude of the officials concerned.
None of the department issued any document to confirm their retirement, while one of them was deployed on duty for Jan Dhan Yojana. However, when their salaries were not given they along with other employees sat on a chain hunger strike.
“I joined the PWSSB in 1974 and became a regular employee in 1979. I was to retire on August 31, but nothing was done. I have not even been given salary since April. However, I was not given retirement but instead deployed on Jan Dhan Yojana duty,” said Ramesh.
Colonies under the LIT were transferred to the MC last year and since then the civic body was paying salaries to them. But these colonies were shifted back to the LIT earlier this year. The employees said before shifting of colonies back to the LIT, the MC was paying them salaries.
{{/usCountry}}Colonies under the LIT were transferred to the MC last year and since then the civic body was paying salaries to them. But these colonies were shifted back to the LIT earlier this year. The employees said before shifting of colonies back to the LIT, the MC was paying them salaries.
{{/usCountry}}Suresh, who was sitting on hunger strike on Wednesday, said, “I had joined the PWSSB in 1976 and I was to retire on August 31. Since April, I have not been given salary. Also, I have not received any document for my retirement.”
“Every employee dreams for a farewell by their office, but we were not only informed whether we have been retired or not. I don’t know when we will get our pending salaries and other funds,” he added.
Another employee Jasvir Singh, who also sat on chain hunger strike on Wednesday, said, “We decided to sit on a chain hunger strike in September when the authorities paid no response to our demand. Now, the officials claimed that they will discuss the issue soon.”
LIT estate officer Jeevan Bansal said, “These 23 employees are not their employees. The PWSSB has shifted its responsibility on us without following the required process. We are not responsible to pay them directly. I know that they were working in colonies under the LIT but it is responsibility of the PWSSB to send them estimate and then we will release that amount.”
PWSSB superintending engineer Daljeet Singh was not available for comment. Earlier, he had stated that the LIT was responsible to pay their salaries.