The service recognition awards presented by the TTD to various employees on the occasion of the 71st Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday failed to evoke proper enthusiasm among the employees.
Several employees, particularly working at Tirumala, bitterly criticised the selection procedure adopted by the management which they alleged lacked rationale.
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Common grievance
The common grievance was that despite contributing their best, their names were not considered for the awards. “Every day we work for more than the hours stipulated. On crowded days we are forced to work for more than 24 hours at a stretch and at times even beyond. Things turn hard during the preparatory arrangements for the annual Brahmotsavams, Vaikuntha Ekadasi and other important festive occasions wherein the authorities deny us permissions for several days even to move down to our homes at Tirupati,” said the employees. All these factors they alleged had not been given proper weightage during the selection criteria.
Had it been so then the employees working inside the temple, Nitya Annadanam complex, vigilance and security, garden and health (who contribute the most for the image of the TTD) would have bagged the majority of the awards.
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“It is recognition that matters and not the rewards,” they said. Though a handful names had been picked up for the awards, what about the rest who had put their soul out while discharging their obligations, they asked.
The TTD in all presented 20 meritorious awards to the employees working in the official cadre and 137 awards to the clerical and lower official cadre employees working in various departments.