Patna High Court on Tuesday asked Bihar State Sugar Corporation (BSSC) to clear pending salaries of around 100 employees by September 2.
Justice S.N. Hussain pronounced the verdict while hearing a case between Vinod Poddar, a retired liaison officer of the corporation, and the BSSC. Poddar has not received salaries for nearly six years of service and other retirement benefits, including pension.
“The court observed that the BSSC has shown lackadaisical attitude in complying with its directives on furnishing settlement plan or exit plan for payment of pending salaries of its employees. Justice Hussain asked the BSSC to prepare the settlement/exit plan and get it approved by the state government within 15 days. The court also asked the BSSC managing director to make all kinds of pending payments to the employees of the corporation and file an affidavit based on the compliance report during the next hearing on September 2,” said Aditya Naraian Singh, the counsel of Poddar.
The sugar corporation has till date leased out eight of its 15 mills and generated Rs 130 crore. However, over 100 employees of the corporation, including Poddar, posted at its headquarters at New Secretariat have not received salaries for many years. Poddar has a history of coronary heart disease since 2005 and retired from BSSC on September 30, 2011.
On May 3, Singh filed a writ petition (CWJC 8761/2012) against BSSC in the court, urging it to issue directives to the corporation to release the pending salaries and other arrears accruing to post-retirement benefits to Poddar at the earliest.
“The court described Poddar’s case as a representative case for all employees of the sugar corporation. The order covers Poddar’s plea as well. He should receive his pending dues, now amounting to around Rs 10 lakh, before September 2,” the petitioner said.
The Telegraph had in its issues dated April 24 and 26 reported about the financial hardship faced by Poddar for treatment because of non-payment of salary and other financial dues. He was in Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology for treatment from April 11 to 28. He was shifted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi on May 2. Though he was released from AIIMS on May 22, he had to be again admitted to the hospital on July 17 for bypass surgery.
The Telegraph also reported in its April 28 and May 2 editions that Poddar received cheques of Rs 25,000 from BSSC (on both days) as advance payments. On May 4, the high court ordered the corporation to release Rs 2 lakh at the earliest.
Singh said the total amount accruing to Poddar’s pending salaries was Rs 15.5 lakh. “He had taken Rs 1.35 lakh as advance during his service and contributed another Rs 1.35 lakh towards Provident Fund. He has been paid Rs. 2.5 lakh by the BSSC during the course of the case. He should now receive around Rs 10 lakh.”
Poddar, who underwent a bypass surgery on July 25 at AIIMS, said from Delhi: “I would be discharged once my stitches are removed on August 4. I am happy with today’s court order. I would like to thank The Telegraph to stand by my cause.”
