SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 7: All India FCI VSS Employees Association has shot off a letter to the union fertilizer minister for converting the temporary lease of a Sindri-based quarter to ex-employees into a long-term agreement in the interest of the government as well as former staff.
Association has said that the closed FCIL Sindri has 8000 quarters of which 1400 quarters were given to VSS/retired employees, and over 300 quarters to Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited (HURL), banks, post offices, ACC Cement and other establishments.
VSS/ retired employees were given quarters in 2003 on a temporary 11 months lease scheme on terms and conditions of the government of India.
FCIL Sindri unit shut down in December 2002. The employees were given VSS.
Since over 4000 VSS/retired employees settled in Sindri, they were given vacant quarters on temporary lease
But large numbers of quarters are still vacant/ damaged and under unauthorized occupation causing revenue loss to the government.
In the letter, Association’s president Sewa Singh pointed out that some quarters of FCI were kept reserved in the Rohrabandh area of Sindri for the new fertilizer project at Sindri. The requirement of the new fertilizer project ( HURL) has been fulfilled.
Moreover, the new fertilizer company HURL is going to develop its own township under Master Plan in Sindri and would vacate FCI quarters soon once its own township is completed.
The association has also made the fertilizer minister aware that 11 months of temporary lease holder VSS/ex-employees are old and facing problems in renewing their lease of a quarter after 11 months.
In the last 19 years, quarters have been in dilapidated condition due to a lack of regular maintenance. Because of uncertainties owing to the short-term lease period, they do not like to take risk of spending money on maintenance/repair.
“So kindly make the lease agreement with VSS/retired employees of FCI for at least 33 years in the name of ex-staff on terms and conditions as decided/ to be decided by the department of Fertilizer, Government of India”, said Sewa Singh.
