Monday, September 28, 2009

Rlys yet to fill up top vacancies
Santanu Sanyal
Kolkata, July 27 The Indian Railways is yet to fill up vacancies at the top. As many as four zonal railways are functioning without regular general managers (GMs) and one of them since February, according to Railway sources. The positions of three other GMs will fall vacant shortly, it is learnt.
The four zonal railways that are functioning without regular GMs are East Coast Railway (Bhubaneswar), East Central Railway (Hajipur near Patna), South Central Railway (Secunderabad) and Southern Railway (Chennai).
The positions that will fall vacant soon include the GM of Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, which is a production unit, and the GM of North Western Railway (Jaipur).
One of the present members of the Railway Board too will retire shortly and his position, therefore, will be filled up by one of the existing GMs. This means, the position of another GM will fall vacant.
The GM of South Eastern Railway has been given the additional charge of East Coast Railway just as the GM of Eastern Railway the additional charge of East Central Railway, and the GM of South Western Railway the additional charge of South Central Railway, and the GM of Integral Coach Factory, Perambur, the additional charge of Southern Railway.
As it is, the GM of a zonal railway or a railway production unit is overburdened. One, therefore, wonders if anything worthwhile can really be done by him for another zonal railway as an additional charge, more so when he cannot devote much time to handling the charge.
Particularly hit are the jobs such as planning and implementation of projects as well as liaison with respective State governments in the zonal railways functioning under the additional charge, the sources add
Delhi Metro train derails; all 14 passengers safe
________________________________________
Accident accounts
On Sunday, train, with 14 passengers on board, derails near Yamuna Bridge
A month ago, metro train carrying 34 passengers derailed at Dwaraka station.
Inquiry committee set up to probe incident
________________________________________
Our Bureau
New Delhi, Sept. 13 A Delhi Metro train derailed near the Yamuna Bridge in east Delhi, apparently due to problems on track. All 14 passengers on board are safe, even as DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) has ordered a probe and suspended a junior engineer.
Two wheels of the train’s front coach jumped tracks at 6:02 a.m., just seconds after it started from the Yamuna Bank station, said Mr Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesman.
Not the first
The accident comes exactly a month after a Metro train with 34 passengers on board derailed at the Dwarka station.
Disrupting services
“Since it was the first train starting from Yamuna Bank station, there were only 14 passengers. The accident took place as the train approached towards the Yamuna Bridge, just half a kilometre from Yamuna Bank station,” Mr Dayal said.
Services on the Yamuna Bank-Indraprastha sector were hit due to the incident, but Metro trains were plying normally from Indraprastha to Dwarka sector 9. The DMRC spokesman said recovery operations are on at the accident site and senior DMRC officials are there to oversee the operation.
An inquiry committee consisting of four officers in the rank of General Manager — GM (Maintenance), GM (Rolling Stock) and GM (Signaling and Telecom) and GM (Operations) — has been set up to probe the incident.
To
Sri. KULDEEP CHATHURVEDI,
General Manager,
South Western Railway,
Hubli.

Respected Sir,

Sub: Allowing preparation time of 2 hrs beyond Head Quarters rest.
Ref: 1. Hours Of Employment Regulations.
2. OA 149/03&801/04 dt: 03.11.2005, of CAT Hyderabad.

The rest at Head Quarter is defined as 16/12 hours for a duty of above 8hours/below 8 hours. Rajadhyaksha award is clearly mentioned about the preparation time of 2 hours in their recommendation. But different divisional authorities are not adhering these instructions. In SWR also some divisions call was being served at 14th hour asking the employee to report at 16th hour. As per the above referred OA it is very clear that the Head Quarters rest is 16+2(preparation time) and staff should not be disturbed at 14th hour. We here by enclose a copy of the above judgment for your information. We request you to instruct the depot official to implement the order in true spirit.

Thanking you Yours Faithfully

Bangalore (C.SUNISH)
16.09.09
Copy to: Regional Labour Commissioner, Bangalore
1)I am S.M.Lokhande/Loco Pilot/SUR wants to put few lines in reference to Micro Sleep the reason of train accident attributed to human failure on administrative account. I mean to say that micro sleep disease attacking on running staff's health due to the administrative lapses only such as non granting of PR, continuous night (Graveyard shift)working, not granting of leave, inadequate facilities at Running Room, lack of interest of enquiry committee's towards the route cause of accident & suggestion to prevent it. Enquiry committee's are interested only in fixing the responsibility upon the running staff based on the violation of outdated rules instead of going in deep.
For details about Drivers Fatigue, Micro sleep please visit:
http://ltrsnrmu.blogspot.com/2009/08/microsleep-fatigue-cause-of-accident.html
2)
In India the condition may even be worse. since the quality of periodic medical exam is bad. they just want to give you a-one certificate so that u are ready to drive the trains.
medical is like formality or an instrument of harassment.
visit http://motorman.wordpress.com/
Dear comrades,

Sub: Proceeding of CWC meeting held at Ghaziabad on 14th & 15th September 2009.

The central working committee meeting of AILRSA was held at Central Office Ghaziabad under the mystic influence and presence of our great leader Com. S.K.Dhar. The second day of the meeting started with tribute to him being the first death anniversary. The meeting was held under the control of presidium consisted of Com. L.Mony and Com. N. Sarkar.

The meeting thoroughly reviewed the implementation of phase wise program of action decided by our BGM held at Nagpur. There are notable improvement in implementation of phase wise program in zones where we are all established, the house unanimously decided that the agitational program to be continued vigorously as decided earlier and took the following decisions for effect to campaign and successful implementation.

1. Poster and Badge for 8th October 2009 hunger fast to be printed at Zonal level

Matter for Poster

Locomotive Pilots on Fast

From 00.00 Hrs to 24.00 Hrs on 08.10.2009

Demands
1.8 Hours Limit for Duty
2.Judicial Review of Working Conditions
3.Nullify the drastic Reduction in running allowance
4.allow justified Pay Scales and Grade pay for ALP and LP
AILRSA
Matter for Badge
I am on
F A S T
Against the
Apathy shown
To our grievances



2. All staff shall wear the badge on duty as well as off duty in between 00.00 Hrs to 24.00 Hrs on 8th October and shall observe fast for 24 Hrs.
3. All off duty staff shall assemble before divisional head quarter from 8 Hrs to 18 Hrs and if possible at crew booking points and sit in hunger sathyagrah to publicise our agitation duly inviting political leaders and sister trade unions.
4. Steps to be taken to stop preparation and serving of food at running room and hostels.
5. Press release to be given at all levels.
6. Protest to be raised by hand bills etc against the pre condition of submitting option for new pension scheme for disbursing 60% CPC arrears.
7. Demand to be raised for quick implementation of Railway Board Order No. RB/Estt. No. 161/2009 dated 03.09.2009 to fill up all higher grade vacancies without selection.

PALIAMENT RALLY AND HUNGER FAST

1. Parliament rally will be conducted from 09.00 AM to 11.00AM on 24th Nov.2009
2. 24 Hrs Mass Hunger fast after rally from 11.00 AM on 24th to 11.00Am 25th November.
3. CWC meeting will be held from 14.00 Hrs on 25th to 13.00 Hrs 26th Nov.2009
4. Posters to be printed by Central Committee.
5. Secretary General is entrusted to make arrangements for maximum publicity of the program at Delhi area.
6. All MPs to be appraised of the hunger fast and invite their support.
7. Rupees Five Thousand per Zone to be send to Central Treasurer towards the expenditure of the rally, hunger sathyagrah and CWC before 15th October 2009.
8. Solidarity demonstration to be arranged at all crew depots or at least at divisional head quarters on 24th Nov. in support of hunger fast at Delhi.

Friday, September 25, 2009

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS

Bad health of railway drivers lead to train accidents’
Sameer Kumar Sharma : ludhiana, train accident, railways
Tuesday , Feb 03, 2009 at 0207 hrsLudhiana:


As many as 25 small or big train accidents that took place in the recent past were due to what the loco running staff in the Indian railways term as ‘micro-slipping effect’. This has been established by a study conducted in Germany and Japan.
Micro-slipping effect is a phenomenon in which the drivers of trains have a wink or some sort of a 'nap attack' for a second or two, due to lack of proper rest.
The secretary general of All-India Loco Running Staff MN Prasad who was at the Ludhaina railway station for a national convention programme to motivate the loco running staff said there had been a spurt of such cases wherein loco pilots happened to miss signals or apply brakes in time, thus leading to accidents.
This, he said, clearly indicated the safety hazards in rail journeys stemming from loco pilot's health which the railway authorities have long been ignoring. "Owing to lack of proper rest and less number of sleeping hours, the drivers become more susceptible to causing accidents. Nearly 10 of such incidents have taken place in the South Eastern Railways," Prasad said.
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"The erratic work hours are taking a toll on the health of loco pilots. A driver needs to rest properly so that he is vigilant when on duty. At least once in two nights he needs to have sleep at night as the day's sleep cannot provide the same kind of relief.
On the contrary, it has been found that most of the loco pilots drive long distances, sometimes without getting proper rest for consecutive nights," he told Newsline while talking about their demands to provide proper facilities and rest from time to time.
"The railways are treating its loco pilots as machines. According to a survey conducted by Nagpur-based Labour Institute, health deterioration was found in up to 30 per cent of 300 loco pilots covered in the survey," Prasad said. "This is a cause for concern for all, whether it's the loco pilots, the railway authorities or the passengers. Therefore, we want the railways administration do something in this regard."
While pointing anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission's recommendation for loco pilots' pay scales, he added that the All-India Loco Running Staff Association has decided to press for the implementation of their demands that include, among others, hiking the grade pay of assistant loco pilots from Rs 1,900 to Rs 2,800, maintaining the functional difference among drivers of goods trains, passenger trains and mail trains and accordingly provide them promotional avenues.
The association threatened to adopt the agitational approach for pressing for these demands anytime in April if no concrete steps were taken in this regard. Also present on the occasion was Daljit Singh, divisional secretary, Ferozepur Division, Northern Railway Men's Union.

Visit the link and Post your comment:bad health
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bad-health-of-railway-drivers-lead-to-train-accidents/418482/0

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

ALL INDIA LOCO RUNNING STAFF ASSOCIATION
Regd. No. 17903 H/Q. Aravindapally, Lower Beniasol, Post –Adra. Dist –Purulia.
Central Office : AILRSA BHAWAN, H.No. 333, Bhoor Bharat Nagar, Ghaziabad – 201001.
Tel. No. : 0120-2740025

Date: 18.09.2009

Resolutions adopted in CWC meeting which was held at Ghaziabad on 14/15.09.2009 in Central Office.


1. The Central working committee meeting of AILRSA held at Ghaziabad on 14th 15th Sep’09 vehemently protest against the decision of Government of India to make compulsory registration for PRAN under new pension scheme 2004 as a pre condition for disbursing second installment of 6th CPC arrears, for those enter in to the service on or alter 1.1.2004. Which is most unlawful and violates the wage payment act, and so it is demanded to withdraw this pre-condition for clearing the 60% of arrears which is not a bounty but a part of pay and right of an employee.

2. It is learnt that the Hon’ble Minister for Railway has taken a note of the increase in the incidence of train passing signals at danger and asked Zonal Railways to draw remedial action. This Association has continuously voicing about the deteriating working condition of Loco Pilots of Indian Railway which is jeopardizing the interest of Railway safety. The crew links were ordered to be formed at Zonal level neglecting all the local conditions and with a mechanical application of inhuman HOER provision. All Railway had resorted all the ways to misinterpret rest rules asking Loco Pilot to resume duty of at 00:00hrs from leave / sick leave, forcing Railway Doctors to deny sick leave, to tide over shortage of staff asking to avail preparation time within the legitimate rest, not allowing minimum rest of clear 6 hours at out station, above all overworking due to excessive vacancies in the most vital safety category is the order of the day.

Added to this, number of signals in every section is increased, speed and load of trains increased, numerous models of Locomotive introduced. The signal posts at many places hidden behind the OHE mast or surrounded by numerous color, light of hoardings or street light impairing the visibility.

The remedial measures, proposed by Railway Officers are only to worsen the situation. Suggestions to bound, finalizing of DAR case to remove the LP to ALP will only create more fear psychosis not enhance the ability of Loco Pilot to run galley. The suggestions to voluntarily retire at the age of 55 or strict monitoring design PME will only result in further frustration among staff.

The reducing trend of pay pocket and increasing work level has resulted in large scale drop out during training. Increasing medical decategorisation and voluntary retirement results upset in man power planning.

This meeting demand proper evaluation of field realties and corrective steps to maintain the glory of safe journey of Railways.

The decision of running Doranto express by Railways is truly the need of the time but safety of such train need to be ensured. Such trains are supposed to, without commercial stops in between. As a result there is proposal to implement crew rosters with maximum duty hours with limit to the stops. Even the natural necessity of a crew is not taken a care of, while introducing Doronto train. They are the fastest train running on tunnel, route where there the maximum intensity of signals, Gates and the stations. The train will encounter with more than one signal in every minutes of run. A Loco Pilot will pass 400 to 500 signals in a stretch of duty of 8hrs that too without any relaxation in concentration throughout the run. It is biologically impossible for a human being and will lead only in compromising with safety.

So this meeting Demands, 5 to 10 mts stops at-least after every 2 ½ hours of run to meet at least the natural necessity of a crew who is a human being and also to limit over all running duty to 6 hours at a stretch for those trains in the interest of safely as well as maintaing a workable health of the crew.

Organizational Resolution

We have decided a Central Office levy of Rs. 1200/- per year per Zone for the maintenance of Central Office as the membership quota was insufficient to meet the expenses. In the changed situation this CWC held on 14th & 15th of Sept’2009 decided to discontinue the same and also sincerely congratulate and thank all Zones who co-operated for proper maintenance of Central Office.


Special Resolutions proposed before CWC held at NDLS on 14th , 15th Sep’2009 for discussion and approval

1. To set right the function of computer printer and its accessories under the use of Secretary General for Official purpose, an amount of Rs. 8000/- is sanctioned. It has been sanctioned from Central fund, any deficiency will be met from Central fund.
2. Against Government of India and Railway Board Order, compelling to give option to register with PRAN compulsorily to get 60% CPC arrears from new necrotizes after 1.1.2004, the Association decide to challenge both the order in CAT / Ernakulam bench on behalf of AILRSA Central Committee, comrades president to look after the case at CAT Ernakulam.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Howrah-Mumbai train will be inaugurated soon
‘All 14 Durontos on track’
Kolkata, Sept 19, DH News Service:

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday flagged off the Duronto Express - India’s fastest non-stop train that will cover the 1,454 km distance between Sealdah in West Bengal and New Delhi 90 minutes quicker than the Rajdhani.

“This new superfast express that will run at 130 kms per hour, will take 16 hours and 30 minutes to complete the journey as against 18 hours being taken by the normal Rajdhani express,” Ms Banerjee said after flagging off the train from Sealdah Station. “The next Duranto train, Howrah- Mumbai Yuba Express is almost ready and we’ll shortly have its inaugural run.”

While stating that railways have been striving hard to fulfil all the promises made in the budget for 2009-10, she claimed all the 14 Duranto versions will be on track before the stipulated time. “And there can be one or two more of it,” she added without elaborating from when they would commence operations.

The Duranto will have three operational stoppages during its journey, but no commercial one. The Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express has six commercial stoppages at the moment. According to her, speed of other superfast trains like Kalka which presently run at 110 kms per hour, will gradually be raised to 120 kmph. Fares have been kept lower than those of Rajdhani though all the coaches are air-conditioned.

Environment-friendly

Incidentally, the train sports an environmental-friendly design that was sketched by the Minister herself. Brushing aside all speculations that the new type of specially-designed coaches might jump the rails at such a high speed, she said the coaches have been certified by the railway’s technical safety chief D K Roy. The train is built of stainless steel, which is lighter, anti-corrosive and more durable than the conventional ‘cotton steel’. Another important safety feature is the central buffer couplers whose enhanced load capacity makes the train derailment-proof.

Besides safety and hygiene features like dustbins and fire extinguishers, the trains have sleeker designs for bottle holders and switches, mobile charging points, sliding transparent doors between coaches, and LED night lamps instead of regular fluorescent lights.

The Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto will have one AC I-tier coach, three AC II-tier coaches, four AC III-tier coaches and five economy AC III-tier coaches besides generator cars. The Duronto rakes comprise ICF coaches used in the Rajdhanis and Garib Raths earlier. The Garib Raths had AC III-tier coaches that could accommodate more passengers.

Each Duronto coach is 24 metres long, compared to the regular coach length of 22.3 metres.
Since January, SWR is permitting officials to travel only economy class
Austerity not new to rly officials
Bangalore:

Directives to politicians to adopt austerity measures and their relucant adherence to it is making news. But this is not new to top railway bureaucrats in the State who have been traversing the austere road right from the beginning of this year.

The Sixth Pay Commission had permitted First Class or Business Class travel by air for railway officers, who are equal in rank to Joint Secretary.

However, Bangalore, Hubli and Mysore divisions of the South Western Railway (SWR) took a firm decision to permit them to travel by Economy class only since the beginning of this year.
Nearly 50 officers in the SWR Division, which includes Divisional Railway Managers, Chief Engineers, Chief Mechanical Engineers and heads of various sections, have been travelling only by Economy class, explains General Manager of SWR Division Kuldeep Chaturvedi.

“Tickets for official visits for all these officers are booked by the Division and we book only Economy class for them,” he said. This has been scrupulously adhered to right from January, 2009. Austerity has been advocated in the department ever since Mamta Banerjee took over as Railway Minister.

Cost cutting by 10 per cent

“All the divisions had been instructed to cut costs by 10% in an order received nearly three months ago.” This has made us cut down our expenditure during functions and meetings, the General Manager said.

DH News Service
Babus’ graft laid bare on web
New Delhi, Sep 17, DH News Service:

In a move that will shame corrupt babus and make ministries and government departments lose face for misdemeanours by their employees, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has started putting up on its website names of those officials against whom it has advised sanction for prosecution or imposition of penalty.


The first such list of officials, against whom the CVC has advised various actions for alleged corruption, include names of 258 officials, with the Ministries of Railways and Home, public sector banks, insurance companies, ONGC, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Delhi Development Authority and Municipal Corporation of Delhi leading the list of infamy.

The names have been put up by the CVC as part of its activities in July this year, making it imperative that it would put up such lists on the public domain every month, making life difficult for errant babus. In July, the Commission disposed off 522 cases referred to it for advice. Also, recoveries to the tune of Rs 90 lakh were effected after it conducted technical examination of some departments.

According to the data, during July itself, the CVC advised imposition of major penalty against 101 officers, including 17 from public sector banks, 16 from insurance companies, 13 from DDA, 11 each from ONGC and MCD, nine from Ministry of Railways, seven from Central Coalfields Ltd, five from Department of Coal, and two each from Department of Posts, CBDT and CBEC.

It also advised initiation of major penalty proceedings against 135 officers, which include 31 from public sector banks, 29 from Ministry of Railways, 13 from MCD, seven each from DDA, CBDT and FCI, five from CBEC, four each from Department of Telecommunications, Central Coalfields Ltd and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, three from New Mangalore Port Trust, and two each from NHAI, ICAR, Department of Atomic Energy, and Ministry of External Affairs.

It also advised the administrative authorities of various ministries to launch prosecution against 22 officers, including seven each from CBDT and Ministry of Home Affairs and two each from Ministry of Environment & Forests and MCD.

During the month, competent administrative authorities issued sanctions for prosecution against 26 officers coming under CVC jurisdiction, imposed major penalty on 65 officers, and “stiff major penalty” was imposed on seven officers.

The list includes six senior officers of the rank of joint secretary or equivalent and above. The CVC sometime back instructed all the government departments to put in place a mechanism to ensure that all complaints received in by them against any of their employees being involved in alleged corruption, malpractices or misconduct would “necessarily” be sent to their respective central vigilance officer for scrutiny and action.
This measure is aimed at making it sure that no such complaint escapes scrutiny of the CVOs.
AN EPITAPH - SHORT STORY
V.R.PRAKASH [ZONAL.ASST.SECRETARY / SOUTH ZONE] vrprakash0191@yahoo.co.in

Nithyananthan was arrested …. It was really dramatic... cant believe even as a dream ….The miraculous thing was that it was happened when he was delivering a speech at the occasion of the condolence meeting in connection with the accidental death of our intimate friend Sathyananthan. He was being arrested by another friend and colleague Circle Inspector Saran Kumar of our same village. It made a lot of problems at the function and there after….There was a lot of interferences from our TU side and administrative side. But Saran Kumar was very much categorical that he will take Nithyan in to custody and he was in possession of relevant records to do so. After he was being carried away by the Police I was covered by the persons attending the function as Nithyan is my best friend. They should not be accused for that, since we four….myself, Saran Kumar, Sathynanthan and Nithyananthan were friends and colleagues in our village school. We never departed after our studies except Saran Kumar who choose college studies instead of us three. We joined in a polytechnic in the city nearer to our village for the diploma course after completion of school studies and till we joined Railways as Assistant Loco Pilot in the same place. So far we worked together keeping deep amity among us and our family members except in little time and even nick named as “Three men army” among the co workers. But I was in the same position as that of the others available at the condolence function, knowing nothing about the arrest and the things connected around.
My introspective nature pulled me away from the function soon, since as ridiculed by Sathyan and Nithyan I fear light and like always to stay away from gatherings, almost, and like darkness than anything. Almost with an exhausted physic and mind I reached home…. done everything as a machine…failed to do the routine things even…not having the feeling of hunger till this moment…not in position to eat the chapathi parceled from Saravanabhavan…I sat on the chair and simply closed my eyelids to gather the old days …I was not in a position to synchronies with the things happened around..The accidental death of Sathyan and his innocent family who was the leading light for all of us for a longer period of time and latter the arrest of Nithyan…how I can digest all….How…I can….
Among us Sathyananthan was very bold .He was very strong and bold enough to face any sort of consequences and always swam against the current.
Whenever both got a chance I was being ridiculed by them “Areh what a man you are? Always skipping away from the mainstream and running away as a person alienated. Why you are always introspective?” It was Nithyan’s comment
Sathyananthan advanced one more step ahead and told me “Little things in the world are to be opposed with. You must have a deferent perspective in this connection and to fight it tooth and nail. We must have the muscles of a Slave and the valor of a King. Live while you, and die as a valor not as a coward who dies a thousand times during fights “.
I nodded and said “I am this much and I don’t want any more crown other than this’. Sathyanathan was having a lot of differences even with Nithyananthan including constructing a house of ours in the big city which was a dream among the common labourer to have one nearer to the work place, as persons joined the big firm and there were no further hope of repatriation to the home cradle. Myself along with Nithyananthan joined in the scheme for purchasing a plot in the metropolitan city. Even though both are having empty hands when the proposal was aired, the encouragement of friends and relatives including wife helped us to do so.
For a courtesy only a question was raised before Sathyananthan regarding this idea by me... Other than slapping every thing happened...he roughed angrily “You want me to be a slave. You want to quash my peace... You don’t know Prajith?”… I expressed my inability to recollect from memory.
“How you will? .The world of yours is the Running Rooms, Crew booking Office and the Quarters in the Colony .Beyond that what you know? .Where you came? .Not even joined in any programs, any get-together, nothing... Then how
you will be able to know people and things around?”. Sathyananthan shouted and I was unable to face his furry.
“Sorry for... Please tell me what happened to him” .Recollecting memory of my batch mate who joined Palakkad Division at the same time, I requested.
“What else may happen to him? He made all efforts to construct a house at his HQ and completed it .Won’t you get any invitation for his house warming”. Without expecting any reply from me he continued, “A super house ...that too, a two storied one. Everybody came for the house warming function astonished. I become proud of him very much due to the major achievement of a common worker in the firm within such a short span. But latter I met him at Erode while after working train. He was totally desperate, as a person who lost all the interest in life, too gloomy and even tried to elude away from me. Later on compulsion he told me that he become fed up with the construction of the house and he was not in a position for a peaceful sleep for near about two years. At nights he saw dreadful dreams….in the fragmented doze…. which were the worst nightmares in his life and even it entirely changed his life style to cope up with the debit he had to pay in the Bank and to other persons, which he took for the construction of the dream house and even skipped away from public functions. He told me about the money lenders who knocked his doors at the end of the month, the days he was helpless in fulfilling the little pleas of his kids…. the days he worked trains with worn out pants and shirt…. the days they were forced to have the ration in all levels and the hurdles they had gone through to make both ends together. The days he prayed to god for keeping him and his family away from any diseases and the dreadful end if he becomes sick for a week and the loss in salary and the so called repercussions and so on Shyam …so on. I don’t want anything Shyam. You are well aware that the day today train working is a regular fight...a fight unfathomable…and you know well that to whom we are fighting keeping our nations flag to heights by not compromising a micro millimeter to safety. When it is the prime agenda you very well knows that who were become our foes, who are ones our good friends…think of why we lost a lot of good friends because we never compromised with safety. You can see the change in the voice of a Controller who was the best friend of you yesterday, when we stick on to safety. So ours is a relentless struggle without compromise, amidst it I don’t want a negotiation of debt… See Shyam the common man will always have a sigh after the construction of a house which is always a dream for him but this house of Prajith become a hell of grave incidents for him. So please my friend don’t make me a slave, let me live with pride”. He folded his both hands together.
“Ok... Sathyan I am having little works in connection with the registration of the land”. I escaped in the gap when he stopped for breathing saying about the registration process.
Myself and Nithyananthan shifted from the colony after constructing the house. The departure from the place where we resided was a sad one because of the amity among us, since all of us belonged to running cadre and the absence of a person in the colony was balanced by others and it was the most painful thing during our parting.
But later after years I astonished seeing the damn changes in Sathynanthan. He purchased land and constructed a large house within the limits of the big city. Unbelievable changes in Sathynanthan’s life …changes vertically and horizontally...He became a coward to face even his colleagues …always seen with bowed head…became shrunk to his own shell. Lost his talkative nature…acquainted through a small wet smile with extreme miser ship...Changes in his nature were unbelievable and rapid. He himself shrunk to his own shield like a tortoise when he met friends... He used to run trains frequently without proper rest just like a thirsty crow wandering hither thither for water. But with Nithyananthan he had better relations than me.
Yes now the same intimate friend is being arrested in the purview of suspicion for the death of his own friend. A family altogether was killed…Sathynanthan, wife and two children. It was only a road mishap which scored the death of the entire family after visiting Nithyananthan’s house. All except Sathyananthan died at the spot and Sathyananthan succumbed to death in the GH without giving his death statement.
I was sure that I can’t sleep in the night…but how far I can sit ?...I really afraid to switch on the TV channels ,I am sure that they will be flourished and nourished with Sathyananthan vs. Nithyananthan stories. I cursed myself for not going to the Police Station for seeing or soothing my ever friend who is under the investigative custody of another friend. My conscience haunted me badly…. “What a man you are ...sitting like a stone wont you have emotions? Are you belonging to the race of man or animal? A friend of yours...that too natives and childhood friend is being arrested and you… keeping yourself within the doors closed...How you can forget the inestimable helps he had done for you? ...Go and have some words to Nithyananthan…”
“No…No …I will not, I can’t …I am not able to see him inside the bars…I afraid to see him” The real Shyam inside me corrected me. I shrank again to my shell…just like a tortoise unable to brave its surroundings and enemies…
I was troubled a little ….a bell tone in the cell phone ….
I relaxed soon… before reaching to the phone placed on the table…It may be Suma…to talk about homely news ….may be to ask when I will be reaching home to take them back to Chennai.. Unless other wise about the news spreading around through visual media…. (Investigative journalism and its consequence) ...About Nithyananthan’s position….a brief narration about everything…
But I was wrong…it was not Suma .A new land phone number around Chennai... There was a ‘horns of dilemma’ in accepting the call .Latter I took it. “Hello this is me”... Saran at the other end …I trembled with fear… sound collapsed in my throat itself… I froze for a moment. Thousand lightning waves passed through my head. If anything had revealed by Nithyananthan…regarding the old days or anything he told about the past days. Anything had wrongly spelt by him…Hey no there is no chance...He will not …and there is nothing wrong with Sathyananthan and me … While I relaxed myself with justifications, Saran again started…“Are you slept …what a kind of human being you are? ...Your best friend and native was being arrested on a suspicion in connection with the death of our friend …You don’t want to see him? I was actually expecting you… and you are sleeping without having a word of ice to calm his heat… I think that you might have a thought to reach your friend... Don’t be afraid...This is only a friendly call…See in my place if somebody else was in charge of this station and then what will be the mental condition of Nithya.. Now he feels little panic... You please come... Don’t fear here are no other higher Officers... I am alone here... He wants your presence and he wants to talk to you…I also require little more explanations from you since the technical words ,position and the thing related to your system are very new to me …So whether I have to send jeep to fetch you or..”? Before he could complete I started.
“Saran… I…I…that …I….”
Saran cautioned me in his language of rank and file... Stop weeping and come immediately...I will send jeep if you are not in a position to drive…. what you say?
“No…Not indeed I will be there in another few minutes...” Seeing the tough language from Saran, I answered. I actually fear to have a Police jeep in my premises that too after the latest development. While on riding the vehicle I was
in extreme puzzle with a hundred questions in my brain... for what purpose I have been called... Whether there is anything connecting, me and Sathynanthan … any new inventions. I missed the route due to the panic and reached Station taking 20 minutes instead of 10.
I entered police station with extreme fear as this is the first time I am being forced to do so. The police man at the sentry made a sharp look at me which even scared me. Good luck… Saran came to the entrance and called me inside, keeping his powers not lost even neglecting my position as his friend as a part of pretension… I thought so.
He murmured in my ear “See Shyam, Nithya, is having a lot of secrets in his mind. He wants to reveal all the facts. He wants a friend to hear all the things. Every thing he lights is having some technicalities and I am no way having any idea about the same. You can certainly help me…”Saran eased himself from his official postures seeing my anguished face…
I nodded my head with a search for my comrade…I have seen him sitting on a chair with bowed head, just like a culprit. Eyes… reddish… fear everywhere in his face as a bait before a famished tiger... with entirely changed face…not the face I saw in the evening when he was delivering the speech just before his arrest…He was unable to face the soft eyes of mine even.…
Saran sat on a seat and with gestures he asked me to sit on a seat nearby Nithya.I was not in a braveness to face my friend…Suddenly he grabbed my hands…I was little bit shivered and I felt the cold of the death Nithya had done by his hands…He sobbed ..bowed his head on my hands and yelled…. “I killed him Nithya ….I killed him …kill me …I don’t want to live more…kill me too”…keeping my hands in his hands he slapped himself on his head and cheek…
I was very confused with …I felt a vacuum to converse with my friend…without any words I sat like a statue …words froze in my throat... How I can sooth him... he is saying that thing ….the same thing which I never expected to hear from his tongue…Sitting before me is a cold blooded killer…that too….flashes through my head ….why...for what? ...Any business transactions within them ….I really surprised…
Saran asked me to sooth him through some gesture….I made a bit trial which I am sure that I can’t…as a man never faced any such events… as a machine I tried for the same…. There was a slit of minutes for Nithyananthan to come back from the sudden emotions thawed out while seeing me…We two sat nearby… waited for his next response.
He started … “You know Nithya, Sathya was in a terrific condition recently. I think that you noticed the changes in him recently... You know pretty well that he was struggling to meet the ends together after purchasing car to suit with his new home for which he was having a heavy debit in the private bank which he himself opted neglecting all my woes. He even bend away from me and become a workaholic fellow leaving all policies for which he fought in the past… The only monster before him was the debt he had to pay in the Private bank and he even afraid of the repercussions due to any lapses in paying it, these things even dragged him from the main stream and he was fond to be in train working without taking proper rest at home which he cant even have while working in normal link and the monster haunted him to have a lot of bad practices even. I even had seen a bonded labour in him, the history repeats - a barter system and bonded labour in the 21 ST century. He was recently awarded with three major penalties. Raising his head to me he continued…One was very severe that was a removal from service and for the other two, he was penalized with pay reversion and he was in extreme trouble”.
“It is not new to him …So far how many charge sheets and major penalties he got when he was keeping in line with safety as an arrogant worker in the eyes of Authorities?”….It was my doubt.
“Hey …what you are telling about ... he got a lot when he was keeping the policies aloft. He was not worried about it, by that time. Now he was rewarded with these major penalties when he become very loyal to the administration and coped up with all its agendas in minimizing staff strength by tightening the Link by increasing the work load and stress over us and stretched us to work in longer night hours with continuous ones”. Nithyananthan steamed up like any thing.
Saran interrupted… “What for the penalty...Any departmental action…any charge sheets served?”
Leaving no space for me to answer Nithyananthan replied “It is as usual, one for loco failure, other for not wearing uniforms and the third one for signal passing for which he got removal from service”.
“Arey… why you people are not wearing uniforms? I was about to ask it for confirmation”. Saran skipped away from the core.
Nithyananthan’s face became too reddish and even I felt he will burst. “How we can? They supply two pairs of uniform clothes for a year. Do you know the cost? Rs.57.42 for pants and Rs.29.65 for shirt bit. We got all the data through RTI. We had tested the same in the textile testing lab and the quality is below the normal standards and we have to use these two pair inferior quality clothes which will give a clown look because of its colour patches and bulged yarn balls, even for four days in the extremely vulnerable tropical climate”. Even at this juncture Nithya heated up …I tried to calm him down. Soon, Saran interrupted amidst and asked him to continue the story…
“Where I stopped…”all of us were trying to recollect…
Nithyananthan again started. “Yes… regarding penalties. He was actually waiting for the reply from the Appellate Authority after the penalty of removal from service… He was totally depressed. In one day, when we were talking, he opened the terrific idea to me…”
Saran and I become more vigilant.
“Yes… he told me about a suicide attempt. Keeping his family to travel in any of the suburban trains and taking it away from its berth place and to make it hit on any other opposing train. The temptation for this was the latest article in a journal regarding two Foreign Air Pilots who made crash landing along with their family to escape from the debts scored from the share market. When Sathyananthan repeated this idea twice or thrice, I become feared. I was doubtful, whether Sathyananthan is going mad… his gestures… his movements…everything made me suspicious. I finally decided that my mother land should not be ashamed off…my own innocent people should not be killed by a worker who was being harassed brutally by some infantile and authoritarian Officers. My land should not be peeled before the world because of Sathyananthan who become eccentric due to the mental torture of some unripe despots. My poor people should not be a prey for such immature Authorities who never admire the workforce for the prosperity of our great nation ..who never find the real cause behind, instead using the sword of punishment over the poor worker….” Nithyananthan restored his form as an Orator…which is his own field…
We two sat before him, opening our mouth wide as we are hearing a detective story.
After a short stop, after gulping little water, Nithyananthan started… “I took some firm decisions and invited him to home, with his family... He was little bit doubtful…the non availability of my family at home… I told him that I want to have dinner with him which we had years back…that too in my house…He agreed. He came with his family…after a long gap…I made everything parceled from Buhaarri hotel and asked his kids and wife to have it, since we have planned for a separate party .I called him alone to upstairs, to my personnel room… We started drinking that too after years … Nithya on that day I was too cruel and brutal…every thing had gone as I planned…I was well aware not to be intoxicated, while I tried my level best to make him that. I took it…the drug… I filled it in the syringe… I was sure about the practice which we had during our polytechnic hostel life…Yes I know you are not fond of….Nithyananthan hint on to my position. There was no hesitation from the part of Sathyan…. As a person prepared to have anything and everything from my hands, he spread his hands to me as he got a command. Without losing a single moment I made the needle on the hand and injected the drug in to his vain slowly”. Nithyananthan breathed.
I had a glimpse on Saran. He was actually shocked. “Nithya you got this idea from a Malayalam movie”?. Nithyananthan rejected the relevance of the question and continued.
“Everything was very hasty. I wish to send him in the midst of the busy roads. Then only I can conclude things as I planned, before the drug starts its work, since they have to cover 12 kilometers from my home through the busy roads, as you know Shyam. When we came down, Sathyan’s family was ready for the departure after having their last supper. I followed simply behind them to confirm the accident”.
Before completion Saran interfered. “You are not so professional Nithya. This made to book you in this case .One of your friend witnessed you there at the accident spot in the bike and you simply escaped from the spot and also the biopsy report of Sathyan...” Saran was very particular about his departmental efficiency.
Nithyananthan was very nervous… “Shyam you tell me …am I a culprit…with the fist placing over his chest he said “I am the real patriot…you tell me whether I am the patriot or Sathyan….whether I am the Patriot or the Authority who brutally punished Sathyan….whether I am the culprit or this inspector is the culprit…” changes in Nithyananthan were very rapid…he tried to tear his shirt…he beat himself on his head and chest…he show the gestures of a mad fellow…laughed …cried ....yelled..
“No…..No….ha…ha I killed him…he killed me …you killed him…this system killed him…we altogether killed him…. but I never killed him…then who will kill me …nobody can…. nobody can…but I killed me…I am not mad....but he was mad….you are mad”………
Nithyananthan yelled, roared, smiled, busted in to laughter and become violent and he was beyond control…slowly I realized that I am loosing my friend.


[NOTE: This is only a STORY…If any incidents, names or any other things narrated in this story is having resemblance with any real incidents or names it is quiet accidental]

Saturday, September 19, 2009

To,
The Chief Labour Commissioner (C)
Ministry of Labour
Sharam Shakti Bhawan
New Delhi

Respected sir,


This Association gave a call to the entire Loco Running Staff over the Indian Railway to observe 24 hrs Fast on 8th Oct, 09 from 0/hrs to 0/hrs. Such a drastic Trade Union action is a natural out come of the apathy showing by the Ministry of Railways on the demands put forward by the workers and the Association.

The several protest programs were conducted, number of memorandum at different occasions since April 2008 have been submitted to different concerned authorities/Committees including the Hon’ble MR and the Railway Board. We also met the Railway Board Officials repeatedly apprised our grievances, we also approach to around 400 member of Parliament (Loksabha / Rajyasabha) and the Central Ministers and placed our grievances for its redressal.

1. The 6th CPC allowed a Grade Pay of Rs. 1900/- for the Asst. Loco Pilot of I.R which is not commensurate with the responsibility attached to the post. We demands to raise the grade pay to Rs 2800/- for Asst. Loco Pilot. Besides we demanded different and distinctive grade pay for Loco Pilot, Goods, Passenger and Mail on the consideration of functional difference among them.

2. Revising of Running allowance, in accordance with the formula of Running allowance Committee 1980, based on TA rate Rs. 210/- for ALP whose GP is below Rs. 4200/- and Rs. 340/- for LPs whose GP is Rs. 4200/-


3. Restrict the duty hour at a streach to 8 hrs and judicious review of HOER.

A detail memorandum on the grievances submitted to Ministry of Railways is enclosed herewith which is self explanatory.

At this juncture on behalf of the entire Loco Running Staff, we request for your kind intervention to avoid unpleasant situation in Railways and also request to persuade the Ministry of Railway to concede the demands.

Thanking you,

Your,s faithfully
M. N. Prasad
THE HINDU
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 15, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version


Railway employees feel let down
Anil Kumar Sastry
________________________________________
The promised
bonus still
eludes them
________________________________________
BANGALORE: “These people are paid two and a half months’ salary as bonus, but have been doing a shabby job,” said an irate man standing in queue to buy a ticket at the City Railway Station here. His anger was directed towards the ticket-issuing staff for their “slow work”.
A retired railway employee, who was standing nearby, was deeply pained at this statement. “Politicians play around by announcing 75 days’ salary as bonus, but in reality, what employees get is not even 15 days’ salary,” he said. And such political statements make the general public believe that railway employees are paid huge sums for doing nothing, he added.
When Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that employees of the Indian Railways would be paid 75 days’ salary as bonus for 2008-09, everyone must have felt jealous. However, for the year 2007-08, the employees (Class III and Class IV) were paid a maximum of Rs. 10,000 although the Railway Minister had announced 73 days’ salary as bonus, said G. Kumar, secretary of the Indian Railways Ticket Checking Staff Organisation.
What’s accrued
“If the bonus is paid as promised, an employee with a basic salary of Rs. 22,500 a month should get Rs. 56,250 as bonus; one with Rs. 18,640 basic should get Rs. 46,500; those with a basic pay of Rs. 9,000 should get Rs. 22,500 and those with a basic of Rs. 4,500 should receive Rs. 11,250 as bonus,” he said in an interview with The Hindu. The ceiling of Rs. 10,000 amounted to 14 days’ salary for those with Rs. 22,500 basic pay, 17 days’ salary for those with a basic of Rs. 18,640; 34 days for those with Rs. 9,000 basic and 67 days for those getting Rs. 4,500 basic, he added.
Instead of declaring “eyebrow-raising” bonuses, the Railway Ministry should declare a fixed sum irrespective of employee class, say, Rs. 20,000, Mr. Kumar suggested. The Railways had been earning handsome profits and by getting an attractive bonus, employees would be encouraged to work harder, he added.
Echoing the same view, C. Sunish, secretary of the All-India Loco Running Staff Association, South Western Railway, said the “colourful announcement” and the ceiling on payment of bonus was nothing but “cheating of employees”.
He said that although Ms. Banerjee had announced 75 days’ salary as bonus for 2008-09, the ceiling, according to information he had received, was fixed at Rs. 8,630. He too urged the Railways to desist from making empty promises and announce a fixed sum as bonus.
TIMES OF INDIA, BANGALORE. DT 18-09-09
-------------------------------------------------------
Page 10, 1st coloumn.

INDIA DIGEST
Rly staff get hefty bonus: Around 13.05 lakh railway employees are in for a bonanza with the government on Thursday announcing productivity-linked bonus to them equivalent to 75 days of their wages for the financial year 2008-09. The decision, that will have financial implications to the tune of Rs 889 crore, was taken at the Union cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Finance Ministry Vide letter no. 1/(6)/2009-EII(B) dated 16.09.09 issued order for DA. Revised rate will be effective from 01.07.09. DA will increase from existing 22% to 27%.
THE PREY [SHORT STORY]

V.R.PRAKASH -- LOCO PILOT/ERODE

I smell the trouble at the door steps itself when I entered home …Biji opened the door at the same time Arun came and embraced me... she seemed to be having little worries in her face, which normally I never met with.. I queried through gestures...
“You just go and see Praveen. From morning itself something was wrong with them... Mini came twice here and told me that he is not even ready to have any food” .She replied.
“Whether he is having any stomach problems or he is sick”. It was my doubt.
“Don’t kid me... there is no chance to have any stomach problems with Praveen, he is so much resistive to food poisons, as a person taking food from outside and running rooms for the past two decades how it is possible to have a food adulteration , I think that the problem is little more grave than your expectations”. While making tea she answered. “As a good neighbour and a friend for years together we should share the worries and pleasures, isn’t it” she concluded.
I sat on the chair sipping the tea and just had a pause to the days behind. Sweet memories… of the past… that too at the time of evening tea ..ha..ha.. I went on a flash back to the days we jointly had, with extreme bliss. I arrayed the fragmented memories of those days of our bachelor life and the agonies and joy we shared with, as two persons came to join the Railways in the same period even though to join the firm in deferent departments .Thank god, for all, the rooms we got nearby to stay along with our family when we got married and the prolonged amity by all means and the good neighbor ship amidst, in which the only deference was the job we possessed. I was in a position to enjoy all nights and all holydays along with family as a clerk and Praveen was not in a position to be with his family most of the time because his job, as a Loco Pilot, almost never allowed him to do so .Even though our families had deeper relationship together but it seems to have some bulged knot on the tie-up due to these differences. To make things little troubled my wife became pregnant within one and a half year after we started our life in the quarters and often I raised the question of the score of delay to Mini.
“What Praveen, are you continuing your Honeymoon ...Don’t you wish to have a full stop... areh yah make it soon .We both will have the joy of having kids. My kid will not find it hard to have a buddy at the nearest room.” When I raised this doubt immediately I was being pinched on my thigh by my wife and she made some signals and tried to prevent me from such questions...
The reply from Praveen was a wet and dead smile and that of Mini was a small shock...hidden with a lot of secrecies...
In our privacy, at the bed room before sleeping she started opening the Pandora’s Box.
“You are exceeding all the limits and you are not having any control over your tongue ...You asked them about any precautions...Mini told me in several occasions that they were not under any such precautions...they are also trying to have a kid ”.. She was in full of fury.
“Then what is wrong with?. Any problem?. They want to consult any doctors?. As you know we can take them to Dr.Aravind’s infertility clinic”. I was in total anxiety.
“No... Not indeed... they already had the tests and there is nothing wrong with both…but Praveen was advised to take some medicines to enhance his sperm count, since he is regularly working in Diesel and Electrical engines na …there may be chances of lesser number of live sperms when subjected to excess heat ,high electro static and magnetic fields”. I opened my mouth widely in appreciation to my only wife’s knowledge in anatomy, chemistry and biology.
“Areh wah”... I appreciated her. “Oh… this is the reason...” I was eager for the reply.
“Not this alone”... She continued with little woe in her face.
“Are you kidding me ...you don’t know…In a lady after the ovulation the egg will breathe for only 48 hrs and within this time it requires a mingling with a gamete to change itself as zygote” .I astonished and simply listened to the treasure of knowledge revealed by my only wife as it is the place of her domination in almost all time when I used to have a tea made by her. I made a gesture just as that of the Air India Maharaja [king]… bowing my head in respect to the scholar of all trades...
“Where Praveen is having time ...as a person working in the crew booking office you are very well aware of his train working ... na... in any day at any time whether Praveen was able to lend justice to Mini…say at any time” ?.I never had any feeling that Praveen is guilty. It is quite natural with his nature of working.”.. Feminist in Biji awaken up suddenly and she continued… “Mini told me innumerable times that she is fed up with the Mail/passenger link and at a time as if she got an AK-47 she will not hesitate to make it used if she see the man who prepares the link”..
I interfered and told “I feel little feared that some times I also may be posted at a place were link is being prepared”...
She continued in a vigorous way “I never feel Mini as culpable in this context. I do pray always that your duty should not be changed by…and you should not be nominated for preparing Links as a link preparing clerk. Certainly the entire curse will fall on our kid…who never a score for it…Oh god you should never be …never be”…She was shivering with anger...
I suddenly realized that, if my wife herself is in such a mood, then what will be the emotions of Mini...
At last to the prays of ours and Praveen’s family they were being blessed with a kid when Arun was 3 years .Now Praveen’s kid, Neethu is 4 years and she is in LKG.
I always used to discuss about Neethu with my wife that she is very brilliant and bold.
“What you are thinking of... What a friend you are... Go and have some words with your friend”. My wife interfered me to flew back to reality from the old memories.
Taking Arun along with me I knocked gently on the doors of Praveen...
Mini opened the door and she returned back with a formal welcome which I never had in my previous visits, which indicate the severity of the issue. I was able to read everything in her face…Praveen was in bed …
“Hai uncle...hai Arun bhaiah” Neethu skipped away from Discovery Channel in the TV and they two ride themselves to the world of theirs...
Praveen came out with a gloomy and deserted face...he came and sat…neither he nor I opened mouth for a longer time...I was in a puzzle where I can open the things...later I broke the silence… “What happened to you Praveen?... What is the problem...Biji told me that some thing is wrong with. What is it?... tell me”...
“Sree…yes it is the thing... her questions... that disturbs me... her doubts...it wounds me”...
Praveen calls me Sree, instead of Srikumar...
I actually trembled a little... whether there was a flash through my head… the question she raised before me a month back...I was not able to answer that question... It was a Sunday .There was a film show organized by the school in which they are studying. All students belongs to their school came for seeing the movie keeping themselves under the shadow of their father and mother, but Neethu was forced to come keeping herself sheltered by Sree uncle and her mother. Praveen was not able to get leave. On the way she exploded the bomb. “Why my father alone not came along with me to see the movie?...Why he is not even spared with Neethu as it is being enjoyed by other kids... Sree uncle came... Mohan uncle came... James uncle came…Why Loco Pilots alone are not allowed to heed their family”…the questions never came to an end till we reached back home after the movie and the endeavor behind seeing the movie failed miserably...
“Sree we will go to the park... there we can have a free talk”...
“Just a minute I will be ready” I agreed with Praveen... Asking Arun to keep himself along with Neethu, I changed the dress and started along with Praveen...
My inquisitiveness, eagerness dragged Praveen on revealing today’s issue...
Praveen started “Today I sat along with her since she was watching the Discovery Channel. A leopard was chasing a deer for its feast. My mind run along with the deer with a honest pray for a clean missing to the leopard…Oh god no...no...no ,even though I was sure about the end... at last deer fell down to the muscles and jaws of the leopard. I simply watched the little eyes of Neethu. There were no fear... no anxiety…no anguish…seeing a usual thing she sat before…I shivered with fear and realized that how far the market culture spread through the visual media had brainwashed and stolen away my kid from humanity and how she is stiff with apathy. After a pause of little narrations another frame of hunting…prey is same...a deer...hunters changed as Lionesses...repetition...little more narrations... prey changed as beasts... hunter also changed... Crocodiles... little more narrations... prey changed as monkey... hunters are crocodiles... Little more narration swimming beast in the water... hunter changed as Anaconda... again little narrations prey changed as penguins... hunter was Seal .Frames changed one by one and later there was a break for an advertisement. Neethu turned around and asked me that question.

Dad... for what you are a prey for?...
At the moment when Praveen said this, I suspect that I trembled again...the land beneath my foot slipped…I feel missing myself…
Praveen murmured …”What answer I have to give Sree... for whom I am a prey for?...I know I cannot say that I am prey for a single hunter... A prey of a number of hunters...how I can answer this question… tell me Sree... tell me. No… I am not able to answer her questions...I am really fed up my friend... A person who never gave righteousness to his family...his father and mother… his kid...his own society... and so on... Sree so on... only having fair dealing as a Loco Pilot…as a Loco Pilot only”….
Praveen weep in to tears…beyond my pacification...he shed tears a lot... We reached the end of the Road…most luckily…the road was desolated of any more spectators other than me...
As a companion of no words...I stood along with him hugging him …sobbing along with him...praying myself for not losing the little clemency and humanity I reserved with...

Email ID: vrprakash0191@yahoo.co.in

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

ALL INDIA LOCO RUNNING STAFF ASSOCIATION
HQ ADRA Reg. No. 17903 AFF to AIREC

SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY ZONE, HUBLI
Web Site: www.ailrsa-swr.org E-mail: ailrsaswr@gmail.com
Visit: www.railwayslocopilots.blogspot.com



Dear Comrades,

Recent days it is seen that Railway administration is going too adamant and not accepting any suggestion or proposals from Trade Unions including Recognized Federations. It is proved as in the case of shifting of Crew Booking Lobby to SGT, or permitting other division crew (JTJ,SA,GY)in our jurisdiction. So it evident that a strong unity and rigorous fight is required to achieve our just demands. Comrades please come forward and join with fighting mass because it is our case of survival.
Please attend in large numbers for 24 hours HUNGER FAST in front of Rail Bhavan on 24, 25 November 2009.

Various Programs and Agitations organized by AILRSA to get justice to Loco running Staff regarding Sixth CPC issues.

Sl No. Date Program
1 23/24.04.08 Meeting of central leaders. Prepared memorandum to submit to high power review committee.
2 27.05.08 Divisional Level DEMONSTRATION against retrograde recommendation in South Zones.
3 31.05.08
01.06.08 Central Working Committee meeting at Ernakulam
4 10.07.08 Zonal Level Convention.
5 03.10.08 Special CWC meeting at Vishakapattanam, prepared memorandum and planned agitational programs
6 22.10.08 Divisional Level DEMONSTRATION on CPC, all over India.
7 23-30.10.08 Individual letter campaign to Prime Minister
8 11.11.08 Mass DEMONSTRATION in front of GM office and submission of memorandum.
9 17.11.08
18.11.08 CWC meeting at Ghaziabad decided various agitation programs including indefinite strike any date after 1st April 09. A delegation met Member Staff/RB sri. SS Khurana.
10 10 to 20.12.08 Branch/Division/Zonal meeting regarding CPC
11 23.12.08 Demands Day-Badge wearing
12 29.12.08 36 hours Hunger Fast in front of all DRM’s office. Railway Minister Sri Lalu Prasad Yadav instructs the Chairman Railway Board to redress the grievances of Loco Pilots and Assistant Loco Pilots.

13 17/30.01.09 Regional Convention all over India (South and South Western at Bangalore)
14 06.02.09 Mass DEMONSTRATION and Rally in Front of Rail Bhavan with an impressive participation of 8000 Loco Running Staff.
15 06.02.09 Delegation of Central leaders including Motorman/Western Rly and ALP met Chairman Railway Board and discussed issues.
16 06.02.09 Delegation including Secretary General and President met Sri. AK Anthony,Minister of Defence who then looking after the post of Prime Minister, and represented our issues.
17 07.02.09 CWC at Ghaziabad decided not to work under rest from 1st March 09
18 25/26.03.09 CWC at TVT(Chennai) discussed about the Strike programs and decided to defer due to General Election.
19 15 to 20.06.09 Central leaders met MOSR and represented our issues. Delegation met leaders of various political parties to seek their support.(Sri. N.Balaganga, MP Rajyasabha and Sri TK Rangarajan MP Rajya sabha effectively raised our issues in the parliament) Various MP’s forwarded our memorandum to Minister Of Railways.
20 26/27.06.09 All India BGM at Nagpur decided strategy to achieve our demands
21 09.07.09 Divisional Level Conventions all over India
22 08.09.09 Zonal Level Demonstration and Dharna all over India
23 0810.09 Hunger fast on duty/Running Room/Training Schools by Running Staff all over India
24 24/25.11.09 24 hours Hunger Fast in front of Rail Bhavan, New Delhi
25 25/26.11.09 CWC at New Delhi to discus Stock of situation


Working Class unity Zindabad

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Jet pilots stir ends, flights to resume immediately
MUMBAI: The five-day-old stir by Jet Airways pilots ended on Saturday night as the airline management and the agitators reached a settlement under which the four sacked pilots would be reinstated and a consultative group made up of the two sides formed t o resolve all issues.
The breakthrough in the impasse between the pilots, who had begun their agitation on Tuesday protesting the sacking of their colleagues, came after a marathon meeting here lasting more than ten hours.
Jet Airways Executive Director Saroj Dutta said flight operations of the airline on interantional routes would resume immediately while the domestic services would normalise by noon on Sunday.
Announcing the settlement at a news conference, the pilots’ union National Aviators Guild leader Sam Thomas, flanked by Jet Airways Executive Director Saroj Dutta and NAG President Girish Kaushik, said it has been agreed that the four sacked pilots would be reinstated with immediate effect.
A consultative group would be set up comprising the Jet CEO Hafiz Ali, two directors of the airlines, two representatives of flight operations and five pilots to continue the process of dialogue on all outstanding issues as well those which will come up. - PTI
Jet cancels 152 flights, efforts to restore normalcy on: Over 150 Jet Airways flights today remained cancelled even as the airlines made all efforts to restore normalcy after its pilots called off their five-day long stir and decided to get back t o work following an agreement between them and the airlines management.
About 139 domestic and 13 international flights, including 27 from the national capital, were cancelled this morning, as per the list of cancelled flights posted on the airlines' website.
Over 400 pilots, who reported “sick” for the last five days, decided to resume their duties after a nine-hour-long meeting with the airlines management in Mumbai last night.
98 Jet pilots report for duty in Mumbai: Nearly 100 of the 400 agitating pilots of Jet Airways reported for duty here today as the airlines said that its flight operations will return to normalcy soon.
“We are operating 172 domestic and 72 international flights. So far, 98 pilots have already reported fit. The operation is expected to return to normal soon,” a Jet Airways spokesperson said. The airline will initially schedule its operations on a 12-hou r basis and will extend it subsequently after more flights are added into operations, he said. - PTI
Jetting into an avoidable crisis
A. Ranganathan
The current crisis in Jet Airways was avoidable. The unfortunate developments have been blamed on the pilots of the National Aviators Guild — an entirely false impression. Pilot-bashing in the media reached its peak when the Jet Airways Chairman, Mr Naresh Goyal, referred to them as terrorists. This objectionable statement is what prompted me to write this article.
The spark for this unrest was set off by the action of the Jet management, when it summarily sacked two very senior captains. They were sent a single-line e-mail stating that they were terminated with immediate effect and no reasons were assigned. The Executive Director of Jet Airways, Mr Saroj Datta’s response to a question during a televised interview on a business channel, had a significant pointer. The conversation went something like this:
Q: Your present problems with your airline began when Capt Sam Thomas and Capt D. Balaram were sacked because they joined the National Aviator’s Guild. Why was that such an objectionable thing to do?
Dutta: I don’t think that is correct. Yes, they were a party to the formation of the Guild. But the reason they were sacked, or their services were terminated, is because there are internal rules, discipline and all sorts of things all of us are required to follow if an organisation is to function effectively and there were reasons for us to have to act as we did.
Obviously, the management did not want to admit that the reason for the sacking was entirely because the two captains were involved in the formation of the pilot’s union. The truth is in the open in the following interview with the Chairman of the airline, which can be viewed at:
http://www.timesnow.tv/Excl-Why-the-Jet-boss-wont-give-in/videoshow/4326959.cms
Poor management
Mr Goyal states that the two captains went around coercing pilots into signing the union membership form, which is far from the truth. Forming a union is a citizen’s right. Creating an impression that a pilots’ union would increase the insurance charges for an airline is a myth.
The American Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) represents all the pilots in the largest civil aviation sector in the world.
Several major airlines worldwide have pilots’ unions. They do not pay higher insurance charges. On the contrary, airlines with a unionised set of pilots have a good safety record. Insurance rates are based on the safety records of an airline.
Jet Airway’s ills began with a string of poor management decisions, starting with the acquisition of Air Sahara. With the collapse of the US financial sector during the Black September of 2008, reality set in. On July 31, 2009, when the Federation of Indian Airlines announced the threat to strike on August 18, the statement of the Chairman of Jet Airways was there for everyone to view.
He said: “We are bleeding. If the ATF taxes are not brought down and the government does not come forward to help the airlines, we have to close down”. The financial position of Jet Airways has not improved dramatically since July 31, to blame the pilots for its current financial woes.
The Guild
The National Aviatiors Guild was registered by the Regional Labour Commissioner on July 24. The two senior pilots of Jet Airways, who were both office-bearers of the newly formed NAG, were dismissed on July 31. The seed of the problem was sown by the Jet management with this single action.
Representations from the pilots were ignored by the management. When all their appeals fell on deaf ears, the NAG had no option but to issue a strike notice on August 24. This was absolutely legal under the Industrial Disputes Act.
The conciliation meeting under the auspices of the Labour Commissioner on August 31 did not produce the desired result and the management was asked to furnish the reasons for the sacking of the two pilots by September 7. They failed to comply and the Labour Commissioner fixed the next meeting for September 14.
The NAG withdrew the strike notice on the evening of September 7, but the members were agitated that the two pilots had not been reinstated. More than 300 of them reported sick.
The situation could have been salvaged the very next morning had the management reinstated the two pilots. This was the only demand of the pilots’ union. Instead, the management used a battery of high-profile lawyers to obtain a stay from the Mumbai High Court.
Meanwhile, Mr Goyal, instead of being in control of the crisis and solving the issue, chose to be in the power corridors of Delhi to mobilise the support of the Ministry and the DGCA. Fortunately, this move did not bear fruit and the authorities remained neutral.
Fuelling the crisis
The matter was pushed deeper into a crisis by terminating a few more senior captains and also obtaining a Contempt of Court order from Mumbai High Court, on September 9. This move has actually firmed up the determination of the pilots to keep close ranks in support of their dismissed colleagues. Mr Goyal fuelled the crisis by referring to the pilots as terrorists and his statement that he would bring in foreign pilots to cope with the situation.
On September 10, a public interest case was filed in Chennai High Court, highlighting the flight safety issues in the procedure for issuing permits to foreign pilots, who get preferential treatment over Indian pilots.
While the pilots were pilloried, all other airlines that were operating flights made a fast buck by charging exorbitant fares.
In all this, the only person who has come out a winner is the Director-General of Civil Aviation. In two months, he has quietly shown his mettle. When the Federation of Indian Airlines threatened to cancel flights on August 18, he cracked the whip and the threat dissipated.
When the Jet management went for indirect support, he stood firm by remaining neutral. At the same time, he has come down heavily on airlines exploiting the situation by charging very high fares. He has also ordered monitoring of safety-related issues.
The short-sighted management decision in refusing to take back two pilots who were illegally sacked is costing the company almost Rs 15 crore a day. It is going to take several months for Jet’s credibility to return, even if the crisis is solved in the coming days.
(The author is an airline captain with 35 years flying experience. blfeedback@thehindu.co.in)
Stalemate continues in Jet Airways’ talks
Vivek Bendre


Mumbai/New Delhi, Sept. 12 The impasse between the Jet Airways management and its pilots continued for the fifth day.
The Jet Executive Director, Mr Saroj Datta, met with the pilots and put forth the management’s viewpoint. The talks came a day after a marathon eight-hour conciliation proceeding before the Chief Labour Commissioner in New Delhi on Friday remained inconclusive.
A spokesman of the National Aviators’ Guild claimed that 90 per cent of the issues were resolved.
“The management agreed to reinstate the sacked pilots, but we still have to discuss and come to a proper understanding with respect to the management’s aversion to the NAG,” said Mr Girish Kaushik, President, NAG. The sticking point, sources told Business Line, was a small technicality. The Registrar of Trade Unions has issued a show-cause notice to NAG after Jet’s management told the authorities that it, being an airline with a national presence, will not recognise the body registered with the Maharashtra State Registrar of Trade Unions. The management now says that if the decision in the case goes in its favour, the union should not contest the ruling.
The sources indicated that while the management does not want the union, the NAG is said to be holding its ground on having a recognised pilots’ union.
In an effort to break the logjam, a conference call was set up late in the evening in which the pilots and the management participated.
The pilots’ ongoing agitation saw the airline cancel on Saturday 251 flights, including 27 on international routes.
The airline also announced the cancellation of five international flights scheduled for Sunday, including Jeddah-Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram-Muscat, Muscat-Kochi, Muscat-Mumbai, and Kuwait-Kochi.
AI fares
Meanwhile, Air India said it has not hiked its fares or over-charged passengers in the wake of the agitation by Jet Airways’ pilots. An Air India spokesperson said the airline is maintaining fares at normal level. As some airlines had jacked-up their fares to cash-in on the market opportunity following the Jet Airways pilots strike, the Civil Aviation Secretary, Mr M. Madhavan Nambiar, last night met representatives of all carriers and asked them to retain their fares at last week’s level. The Ministry also directed the airlines to deploy more flights on the routes served by Jet to help the stranded passengers of the private carrier.

Friday, September 11, 2009


Thursday, September 10, 2009

AILRSA SWR conducted Dharna in front of GM/SWR as per central guide lines on 08.09.09.Dharna was welcomed by Com. K Nishad Divisional Secretary Hubli and Presided over by Com. SD Arnold Zonal President, and inaugurated by Com.S Prasanna kumar, State Secretary CITU. Addressed by Com. C. Sunish, Com. Suppin, Secretray CPI(M) Dharwad District, Com. Donal Raj, Com. PK Sahoo, Com. AH Ayee.Representatives submitted memorandum to ChairMan Railway Board through GM/SWR
New Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) The government today announced a five per cent increase in the dearness allowance for the central government employees and pensioners, with effect from July this year, entailing an outgo of about Rs 2,904 crore this fiscal. Announcing the decision taken by the union cabinet, information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni told reporters that the combined impact on the exchequer on account of hike in dearness allowance and relief would be of the order of Rs 4,355.35 crore for a full year.

The impact for the current fiscal would be Rs 2903.55 crore, as the increase would be effective for nine months only from July to March. The five per cent increase in the DA for the employees and dearness relief for pensioners would be over the existing rate of 22 per cent of the basic pay or pension, the minister said.

Friday, September 4, 2009

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