Members of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Retired Employees’ Welfare Association staged a protest here demanding the TNSTC to immediately release arrears of their Dearness Allowance.
They also urged the TNSTC to honour a Madras High Court’s order to release the retirement benefits in 12 instalments. R. Devaraj, general secretary of the association, said though DA was increased by six per cent last year, the TNSTC had not paid the increased amount to the pensioners for the past 14 months.
“All the working employees have been provided Deepavali bonus. If they release the arrears for pensioners, each of us will get anywhere between Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 6,000. It will be like a festival bonus for us,” he said.
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“It is not going to be a major financial burden for the organisation. Then why is the delay?” he questioned.
Mr. Devaraj also blamed the administration for not implementing the order of Madras High Court. “Following our protest across the State, which began last week, the administration has released just 50 per cent of one instalment now. This is unacceptable,” he said.
Earlier, tense moments prevailed at the headquarters of Madurai division of the TNSTC, the protest venue, as the city police refused to allow the pensioners to enter the campus. Minor tussle broke out between the police and the protesters who opened the gate and entered the campus.
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“We just wanted to squat peacefully inside the premises till we get to know the outcome of the negotiations which was going on in Chennai. However, the police refused,” Mr. Devaraj said.
The police arrested all the protesters and later released them in the evening.