The Joint Action Committee of the BSNL Assocoations/Unions had given the call to observe 18th to 24th of April as ‘Employees Awareness Week’ to give wide publicity amongst the workers for the urgent necessity of improving the services and also to ensure better growth to the BSNL. Only two working days are left for completion of the week.

Except reports from a few centres, much is not heard about what is being done in this connection. The observation of the Employees Awareness Week is not a publicity stunt or a routine affair. It should be done with great preparation, committment and also should reach each and every worker irrespective of the cadre, post or area of work. It is a new approach to the work culture which is greatly required in the present circumstances to save BSNL and its workers.

I hope that our leaders and activists are fully aware of the situation and will do everything possible to give a better service to the people, who are our masters, and save BSNL.

The Special Court Judge O.P.Saini has sent five more corporate bigwigs to the Tihar Jail in connection with the 2G scam. They are Sanjay Chandra (MD Unitech), Vinod Goenka ( MD DB Realty), Goutam Doshi (MD Reliance ADA), Surendra Pipara ( Group President Reliance) and Hari Nair (Senior Vice-President, Reliance). Former Communications Minister A.Raja and other five bureaucrats and business heads are already in Tihar jail.
Their application for bail was rejected by the Special Court since it did not find justification for the same.

For months together, reports have been published that the new CMD for BSNL will be appointed immediately. But till now there is no information who is the new CMD. Is the government sleeping or is it intentionally delaying the matters so that BSNL will suffer and become loss making. It will help the govt. propaganda for privatisation.

The workers demand that a new CMD should be posted immediately.

I am in Calicut (Kozhikode) for the last three days. Today, 19th May 2011, I had a new happy experience. I was invited for lunch in the Nalanda Hotel by a few officials in the BSNL who are going to retire by the end of this month. I have seen co-workers giving send off parties to the retiring employees; this was different – the retiring employees were giving lunch to those from whom they are departing.

It was a huge gathering. Almost all the employees came to participate in the lunch, batch after batch. I could meet a lot of retired as well as working employees with whom I had worked earlier. Everyone was in a hurry. After taking lunch and exchanging pleasantries they returned to their work quickly.

Of course the retiring employees will be getting a few lakhs of rupees on retirement due to the sustained struggles of the unions and they may like to share the joy with their co-workers. Anyhow, it is a very good gesture and an excellent opportunity to thank their co-workers for the camaraderie.

DPE vide No. 2(70)/2008-DPE(WC)GLVII/2011 dated 13-04-2011 has issued orders increasing IDA by 4.2% w.e.f. 01-04-2011 making total IDA to 47.2%. Pension is also increased.

BSNL orders are expected early.

There is no justification for the central government to delay ban on use of Endosulfan, which has caused innumerable diseases to thousands of people and whose lives have become a continuous suffering.

Endosulfan, a strong pesticide, is mainly used in the cashew cultivating areas, like Kasargode in Kerala. India produces about 9000 tons of endosulfan and half of it is being used in India itself. In Kasargode area, thousands of children as well as old people are affected by this pesticide which adversely affects growth, maims and result in all kinds of diseases. The Kerala Government has banned it, but the Central Government still refuses to ban it to help the big business and trade interests. A large number of nations have already banned it, but Indian Govt. is keeping silent.

By not banning Endosulfan, Govt. is protecting the interests of trade instead of the people/

The Kerala LDF Government has started supply of rice at Rs. 2/- per kg through the fair price shops as decided earlier. The above decision of the government was stayed by the Election Commission on the objection of the UDF. Now the stay has been removed and the supply will start.

This will help a large number of families with low-income. The UDF has already got the nickname ” Rice obstructors” for stopping the rice supply.

As per the call of the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/ Unions, an “Employees Awareness Week” is being organised w.e.f. 18th to 24th April 2011.

The present financial viability of BSNL is not good. The total loss for 2011-12 is feared to be more than that of last year. Many BSNL subscribers are shifting to other companies for getting better service. If BSNL has to survive and got strengthened, the entire workforce in BSNL along with the management have to plan and implement quick remedial measures including better customer service. May 2011 is going to be organised as the “Customer Delight Month” and before that in order to motivate and encourage workers for better service, the” Employee Awareness Week” is being organised.

Let all of us make the programmes a big successs to ensure that the BSBL survives and strengthens.