BSNL contract staff on strike, service to suffer

SNS, Raiganj, 7 October 2016: A section of contractual staff of the electrical section of BSNL office in Raiganj of North Dinajpur district has not been given their pending salary for past three months. Thus this morning, demanding immediate payment of their dues, the agitating staff ceased work and organised 'dharna' outside the gate of the Sub Divisional Telecom Office in Raiganj announcing it for indefinite period. 

Meanwhile, if the cease work continues, the BSNL services may collapse in Raiganj. However, the concerned officials have remained silent on the issue. 

One of the agitating staff, Nayan Debnath said, "We have been serving the electrical section of the BSNL office as casual workers for more than 15 years. We have not received our salaries for the last three months. Our salary is too low as to run our families, at the time of Durga puja, we have been unable to purchase new garments for our children. So for the last three days, we had been organising agitation in demand of our dues. But no measure has been taken yet. So today we have ceased work for an indefinite period. Our movement will continue until the officials confirm us the date of payment".

The Telecom District Manager of Raiganjj Telecom District, R Ravi said, "The workers who are agitating from our electrical section are contractual workers under an agency. However, we came to know that they were not paid since the last two months. We have already told the Chief Engineer of our electrical section to sort out the crisis soon."