Akshay Azad
Jammu, Nov 8: A retired Railway official is bearing the brunt of blowing whistle over thriving unholy nexus between coal contractors and black sheep of the Railways at Jammu Railway station. The vindictive officers have now withheld his legitimate dues after his superannuation, forcing him to sit on fast unto death.
Narrating his ordeal at the hands of Railway authorities, Jaswant Singh, former Station Master at Bari Brahmana Railway Station said that instead of rewarding him, Railway authorities denigrated him with four transfers in two years, withholding of salaries, undue curtailment in dues besides other humiliation in the last two years.
Explaining about the unholy nexus between railway authorities and coal contractors, which has been resulting into siphoning of hundreds of Crores from Railway exchequer in the last many years, Jaswant Singh alleged that as per norms, the schedule time for unloading of coal from goods train was from 6 PM to 11 PM, but after that demurrage was charged by Railway authorities.
"A coal contractor has to pay Rs. 100 per wagon per hour as demurrage for unloading coal. In sheer violation of norms, some railway officials, who are hand in glove with coal contractors, have been allowing the contractors to unload the coal after 11 PM. If the same contractor has to make unloading on second day, he has to pay around Rs. 50,000 to 1 Lakh for one day, but allowing them to unload the train after 11 PM, helps the contractor to earn huge amount, while the railway officials are also earning huge money in form of commission from contractors", he said.
He further claimed that during his tenure as station master at Bari Brahmana Railway station, he had objected over such violation by railway authorities and contractors, in July, 2011 and also had reported the matter with higher authorities, but in return he was transferred and his salaries were withheld.
"On 20-7-2011, I was transferred from Bari Brahmana to Ambala, followed by second transfer from Ambala to Jammu on 26-7-2013. On 15 July, 2013, I was transferred from Jammu electrification wing to Ferozpur but on 31-7-2013, I was once against transferred to Sujanpur", he said, adding that the unholy nexus was still continue at Bari Brahmana Railway station, but no higher officials was taking action.
He further said that along with frequent transfers, his salary was also withheld by authorities. "The salary from August to December 2011 was given on February, 29, 2011, while the salary from April to August 2012 was given in the month of September 2012. Moreover the salaries during all the months of year 2013 were given late while the salary for the month of July, is still pending", he said. Jaswant Singh, whose fast unto death strike today enters second day, said that the unholy nexus among railway officials and coal contractors was still intact but no action has been taken against the corrupt railway officials and coal contractors.
He further said that he was being victimized on the instructions of higher officials, who were hand in glove with coal contractors, to teach a lesson to all other honest railway employees. He asserted to continue his agitation, until his demands would not be met by railway authorities. |
