SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 28: The central labour department will hold a ‘Camp Court’ in Sindri for interest reimbursement of delayed gratuity payment to retired employees of closed Fertilizer Corporation of India (FCI) Sindri.
Assistant central labour commissioner of Dhanbad has assured to hold a court camp soon when a delegation of FCI VSS Employees Association under coordinator A Wheeler met him and requested to ensure payment of interest.
FCI Sindri shut down in December 2002. In its place, HURL, a joint venture of CIL, NTPC, ONGC and FCI, came up in Sindri. Following closure, FCI management gave VSS to its all employees.
All India FCI VSS Employees Association president Sewa Singh giving this information said that over 250 VSS employees of closed FCI are still to get the interest reimbursement of delayed gratuity payment of training period.
In March 2017, the central labour department made payment of interest to thousands of retired employees by holding a camp court. Since several employees of other states had left Sindri after the closure of FCI, they missed getting interest payment.
“So, the association requested the central labour assistant commissioner to hold a Camp Court again so that deprived retired employees living across the country get their dues,” said Sewa Singh.
The post of central labour assistant commissioner is vacant in the department at Dhanbad. A Wheeler, (former account officer of FCI) is the coordinator of the association and he submitted the representation to the labour department.
Sewa Singh said since the posts of labour commissioner and assistant labour commissioners both are vacant, the date for Camp Court would be fixed next month after the joining of new officers.
“Association has informed all retired FCI employees who have to get their due, submit an application and appear on the scheduled date of Camp Court,” he said.