No salary, no pension… Life is miserable for 9,000 employees of Jal Nigam in Uttar Pradesh – Jal Nigam in Uttar Pradesh

Prem Chandra Verma, who retired as an assistant engineer at Jal Nigam, underwent open heart surgery. Somehow, the medical bills and hospital stays were paid, but now there is no money for medicines as he is not receiving pension. The situation is such that a person cannot even get out of bed without any help. Many times, even to feed his family, he has to raise money from everywhere. Khwaja Masood Ahmed, who retired as a junior engineer, was also troubled by similar problems. He also underwent open heart surgery.

This is not just the story of Prem Chandra or Khwaja Masood, but also the story of nine and a half employees and pensioners of Jal Nigam (Urban) in Uttar Pradesh. All of them have not received their salary and pension for four months. SP Mishra, president of Jal Nigam Diploma Engineers Pensioners Welfare Association, Uttar Pradesh, said that there are 7,142 pensioners and family pensioners in Jal Nigam Urban. Apart from this, 2,342 employees have not received their salary and pension for four months. The situation is such that some pensioners have no money to buy medicines and some employees cannot afford to pay their children’s school fees. These employees, officials and pensioners have to borrow money even to meet their daily needs. The situation is such that shopkeepers have even stopped borrowing rations. People are even refusing to give loans. There is also pressure to repay the loans that have been given.

Submitted memorandums to the CM several times

BK Vajpayee, secretary general of the association, said that memoranda have been sent to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Urban Development Minister AK Sharma, Namami Gange Rural Drinking Water Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, Chief Secretary, Department Principal Secretary many times this time. Every time assurances were given, but the salary and pension did not come. In the middle, one month’s salary and pension were given, and nothing was given for several months. BK Vajpayee said that the situation has become such that we have to beg for our money again and again. Even after this, no voice was heard anywhere. He told us that there are seven thousand pensioners whose condition is the worst. In this era of inflation, they cannot even buy medicines. Without medicines and treatment, the problem will further increase in old age.

Employee-pensioner meeting on September 26

He told that Jal Nigam Sangharsh Samiti has convened a state-wide meeting of employees and pensioners in Lucknow on September 26 to decide on the strategy for further action. He said the remaining salary of the sixth scale payroll for the period from July 1, 2006 to March 11, 2010 is yet to be paid. He said that more than Rs 400 crore was provided to Jal Nigam a year ago after the court order. Even after that, the payment was stopped due to the imposition of several hurdles. He said the crisis has arisen due to reduction in staff and transfer of traditional work of Jal Nigam to other agencies.