Retired UP power employees demand their pending dues
TNN, Feb 20, 2010,
LUCKNOW: A group of retired employees of UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) have submitted a representation with the corporation management seeking adequate retirement benefits, which are due for the past five years.

The aged employees, under the aegis of Vidyut Karyalay Karamchari Sangh, are fighting a pitched battle with the corporation management which they claim has defied a high court order and even their own chairman's order of November, 2009, which guaranteed the requisite pension.

The employees said that in 1998 they were getting salaries in the bracket of Rs 2,600-Rs 4,000. But when some of the employees retired, they were not given pension according to the bracket because of a litigation. This was challenged in the high court and then in the supreme court, which ruled in favour of the employees and asked the corporation administration to release the due pension along with 10% interest. The final SC order came in November, 2009. Subsequently, the UPPCL chairman directed the officials to do the needful.

"But now the two orders are being defied. They released my pension but once again without the interest. My gratuity and commutation also does not include the interest. This is how the corporation treats its former employees," said Harish Chandra, who retired as office superintendent in the corporation.

He said it is not just his case, there are dozens of other such people who are now old and need financial support. "But the officials concerned are unmoved," he said.