The Madras High Court Bench here has directed Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) to consider a request made by a bus driver to provide him an alternative job since he was suffering from cervical spondylosis after 29 years of service.
Disposing of a writ petition filed by V. Thanupillai, Justice B. Rajendran directed the General Manager, TNSTC (Nagercoil Division), to consider the petitioner’s plea in the light of a Medical Board report in his favour and pass appropriate orders within three weeks. The petitioner’s counsel, S. Xavier Rajini, pointed out that his client had joined the TNSTC as a driver on June 17, 1985, and had been serving the organisation since then without giving room for any kind of complaints. He had already completed 29 years of unblemished service.
It was in 2007 that he was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis which severely affected the joints on his neck. Since then, he could not drive the vehicle effectively. He was referred to the corporation’s medical board which on May 7 last year certified that he could not discharge the duties of a driver.
The board also recommended that the petitioner be provided with an alternative job. Though petitioner made several representations to the authorities concerned to engage him in some other suitable post, his efforts went in vain and hence the present petition, the counsel claimed.
