- About 1,100 workers out of 2,492 are still on strike
Nagpur. ST employees, who went on strike demanding regularization, have defied the order of the government in which everyone was appealed to return to duty. During this, the government had promised that it would not take any action against any employee. Even after this, about 1100 employees of the city are on strike.
Due to lack of reconciliation between the government and ST workers, the arrangements in rural areas have faltered. Private bus operators are getting direct benefit from this. They are filling their pockets by charging exorbitant rent from the people of rural areas. According to sources, when ST Mahamandal buses used to run on rural routes, then the number of private buses used to be around 200, but in the last 5 months this number has reached around 400. This figure is for big buses.
Apart from this, the number of buses plying at the taluka level is being told around two hundred. The increasing number of private buses is pointing towards some major irregularity. However, the government has now taken a tough stand and pointed towards strict action. Due to this some employees have started returning to the job, but 80 percent of the workers who went on strike are still adamant on strike. They say that they will stick to the strike till their demands are not met.
167 buses out of 430 are running
ST Mahamandal has a large network of 430 buses. To run these buses, the corporation appointed about 2,492 employees, but due to the merger in the government, at present 1,100 employees are on strike. Of these, 36 contractual employees returned to the job on Friday. In the month of last March, 129 employees have returned to their jobs. Officials say that the government is now preparing to take strict action against the employees who are not returning to the job.
where is the cost coming from
According to sources, the strike of ST employees has now come under question because it has been more than 5 months since the employees who are involved in the strike got their salaries. In such a situation, questions are being raised here that from where are these people, who call themselves financially weak, running the expenses of the family, now the government is also trying to find answers to these questions. Because the private bus operators are getting the direct benefit of the employees’ strike. Now this thing is not hidden from anyone.
167 buses operated
ST Mahamandal operated 167 buses on Thursday. These buses include Ganeshpeth-36, Imamwada 37, Ghat Road-36, Umred-5, Saoner-13, Vardhmannagar-20, Ramtek-08, Katol-12. These buses covered 47,773.3 km by making 508 ferries. Also 22,654 people traveled. With the return of 36 contractual employees on Friday, officials now claim that the number of buses will be increased in the coming days. There is a plan to start bus facility especially in rural areas. So that the common man can get relief.
Government in the mood for strict action
Today 36 employees have joined. About 1100 workers out of 2490 are still on strike. The government has indicated strict action against these employees. Which is likely to be implemented in the coming days.
Nilesh Belsare, Departmental Controller, ST Mahamandal, Nagpur