We are totally distressed by the train tragedy at Balasore and convey our condolences to the bereaved families.

It is the third worst railway accident in India considering human casualty.

On 6^th June 1981 a train accident in Bihar killed about 800 people.

Another accident in UP on 20^th August 1995 killed 400 people. Now at Balasore about 300 people lost life and more than 1100 people injured after an accident involving three trains. The horrific accident happened when Coromandel express heading towards Chennai , derailed. Technical fault or human error, whatsoever, has caused such a great tragedy.

Proper treatment of injured is the urgent need. The local people of Balasore immersed themselves in assisting rescue ops and several people lined up to donate blood.

We appreciate the prompt action taken towards rescue operations by NDRF, Railways and the Governments at State and Centre. But the fact remains that more than 3 lakhs posts are vacant in Indian Railways, a system constructed in 19^th century which has become the most important transit system of our country. India’s railway system is a marvel, in that it connects a massive country together, is an affordable mode of transportation that serves 23 million people each day.‘Kavach’, the automatic Train protection system developed by Railways is available only in few areas.Railways have confirmed that the trains that met with the tragedy were not ‘Kavach’ enabled. We hope that Indian Railways will take immediate action to improve the protection devices to save the human lives. The Government has to take appropriate action to avoid recurrence of such accidents.

Financial compensation for the dead is not enough. Majority of the passengers died in the accident travelled in Unreserved Coaches. The Govt should identify the victims and extend relief and provide employment to the kith and kin in Railways.

Meeting with Member (S) jointly with like minded associations

As per programme to meet Sh U S Pandey,Member (Services), myself and two other members of our Association reached Sanchar Bhawan New Delhi in time.In the Reception Office Com Prahlad Rai G S of AIRBSNLEWA met and told me "should we go together or you want to go alone."Upon this I told him that as we are like minded and our approach is the same then no harm in meeting the M (S) together.So we all went and met the Member (Services) and the meeting lasted for 30 minutes from 1310 to 1340 hours.

I informed that we met MOC on 27/5/23 for expediting the pension revision case and Hon'ble Minister told that he will meet Secretary DOT shortly and will see that the case is approved with fitment formula very soon.

M(S) replied that once the process at higher level is completed he will start the process of preparing Cabinet Note and other formalities without delay.Sh A K Sahu CGMT and OSD was assisting M(S) who is likely to take over as M (S) when Sh U S Pandey retires within 2-3 months.M(S) categorically said that he will not delay the case once it comes to him.

We told that we have full justification for revision of BSNL/MTNL pensioner's pension revision as per 7th CPC which we have already submitted to the DOT long back.M(S) told that if you have any thing new you can send the same to me which I will place for negotiation along with other views.Points raised like,"you are already getting more pension, 3rd PRC /7th CPC etc. were countered properly by us.We emphasised that we want permanent solution of our pension revision which is possible and fully justified as per 7th CPC.

Following participated in today's meeting:.

1. J S Dahiya O/Secy AIBSNLPWA

2.Zile Singh of AIBSNLPWA

3.N N Sharma of AIBSNLPWA

4.Kishan Singh, President of AIRBSNLEWA

5 Prahlad Rai GS of AIRBSNEWA

6.K R Yadav of AIRBSNLEWA

7. A K Kaushik G S RTOWA

8.A.K Kapoor of RTOWA

Meeting ended in a cordial atmosphere. Photos were,however,not taken. then we came out team of SNPWA including G L Jogi G S, R K Mudgal and D C Sharma was waiting for their turn for meeting the Member (Services)

J S Dahiya

The following message is given by our lawyer:- As you are aware, the matter was listed as part-heard before a bench comprising of Mr.Tarun Shridhar (Administrative Member) and Ms.Pratima Gupta (Judicial Member). When the matter was called out, we appeared on your behalf led by Mr.Sanjoy Ghose, Ld. Sr. Counsel who pointed out that the submissions made on behalf of the Applicants have been recorded in the last order and the Respondents had sought time to take instructions. The counsel appearing for the Respondent DoT however sought further time on the ground that he had been recently engaged. We opposed the request made by the Counsel for DoT on the ground that the matter was part-heard on 29th March and that DoT should have sought instructions by now. The bench told the counsel for DoT that the issues already stand crystallized vide order passed on 29th March and that the Respondents need to respond to the same. The bench further granted the Counsel for Respondent DoT 3 days time to seek instructions and adjourned the matter to 25.05.2023 i.e. Thursday.

Our Pension Revision Case scheduled for today in PB CAT New Delhi could not be taken up as Bench did not sit. The same is listed for Monday i.e on 22-05-2023 at Sl No 28 .

Our Dy.GS Com Anupam Kaul reports that he met Dir Estb DOT today to know the progress in pension Revision case .

Director (Estt) informed that

1) The file is still with the Secy DOT

2) The discussions between Secy DOT and the Minister have not been held till date due to preoccupation of the Minister

3) Minister can call the Secy DOT any time

4) The fitment formula can be known only after they meet

5) Estb section is preparing a draft cabinet note as the file is expected to be cleared by DOE without any delay as DOE has also been kept in loop

6) In case nothing is heard from the office of MOC by the end of this month, the office of Secy Telecom will remind the ministers office

View the Copy accounts-cadre-pcat-order.pdf

CGHS letter dated 08-05-2023 om-regarding-submission-of-mrc-to-cghs-in-city-where-treatment-is-taken.pdf

BSNL letter dated 02-05-2023