It was 11 years back on this day, 15th July 2013, that Telegraph/ Telegram services in India were closed, a service maximum used and cherished by the people. The new generation may forget, but the old generation can not forget the telegraph/telegram services, which were almost an inseparable part of their life. It was on 24th October 1851 that the telegraph service was first introduced in India. It was in a small route between Calcutta, then capital of British India, and Diamond Harbour. The history of telegraphs started long back. The electrical telegraph was invented in 1775. The first commercial telegraphs were introduced by the Western Railways in Britain in the 1830s. It was introduced in India in 1850s along with the railways. The telephones were not invented then and the fastest communication system was the telegraphs. Only the Britishers were employed as telegraphists both in Railways and in Telegraph Offices in the initial stages due to its utmost importance and secrecy. The Britishers used the Telegraphs and Railways effectively to crush the First Independence War of 1857, which they called as ‘Sepoy Mutiny’. The Telegraphs grew fantastically during the second part of the 20th century and there were telegraph offices in all important cities and towns. In small places, the services were manned by the Postal officials called ‘Signallers’, who kept the connection between the cities and the villages through telegraph wires. Telegrams were sent by government as also by public to inform urgent and important news. The Central Telegraph Offices (CTOs) in the metro cities used to have about 100 or 200 telegraphists at the same time and round the clock. The telegrams were taken as official records in the courts etc. It was authentic and clear. Since the charge for sending telegram was on the basis of the number of words, the message was constructed briefly with minimum number of words. The message may be of great happiness or that of sorrow like death or disease. The unions used to organise ‘Telegram Campaigns’ as a method of protest sending the same in large numbers to the concerned authorities. After the growth of telephones and mobile services, the importance of telegraphs started to wane. By the second decade of 21st century it was almost limited to certain official messages. According to the government and the BSNL, there was much loss and it can not be continued as a viable service. When the government decided to close the telegraph offices and telegraph/telegram services from 15th July, BSNL Unions put up strong protest and organised protest meetings. As President of BSNLEU, I went to Mumbai and Kolkata offices and held press conferences for getting the support of the people at large for continuing the services. Telegraph is a heritage service and accommodated in heritage buildings in the big cities. CTO buildings in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata etc. are heritage buildings, which have to be maintained as such. Lakhs and lakhs of documents connected with the history of the Mughal, British rule etc. are there in the old documents of the telegraph offices. Just like Western Court building in Delhi is occupied by a hotel, telegraph offices are being taken over by others for other purposes. A PLI case was filed in the court, but did not get any relief. It can only be said that the BSNL management had taken an unwise anti-people decision as also without taking in to confidence the unions, which were trying to improve the services and make the company financially viable. Despite all efforts to ensure that the telegraph services are kept as a token of the past, as in the case of trams in Kolkata, neither the government nor the BSNL agreed. It was finally decided to close it on 15th July 2013 forever. Nobody expected what happened on the day. It was a pleasant surprise. Thousands of people gathered in front of telegraph offices to send their last telegrams to their near and dear ones. Even after midnight of 15/16 July, the queue did not stop and many people had to return disappointed that they could not send the last telegram. Their spontaneous response on the last day showed their love and appreciation of the telegraph services. Nine years are over after closure of telegraph services. The people have almost forgotten the ‘telegram’. The new generation may wonder what is ‘telegraphs’ and ‘telegram’? But those who knew telegram and sent or received them, still remember the same. For them it is nostalgia indeed!

The Central Government has decided to restore the frozen DA/DR instalments from 01-01-2020 to 30-06-2021 of central government employees and pensioners. The Cabinet meeting held on 14-07-2021 while restoring the three instalments of frozen DA/DR of 11% , made it clear that arrears of the frozen instalments of DA/DR will not be paid. Now, the total DA/DR upto 30-06-2021 will be 28%. No decision on the DA/DR due from 01-07-2021 is taken as the exact per cent is yet to be determined.

According to the deployment plan approved by the Cabinet, the number of PGM/GM level officers to be posted in BSNL during 2021-22 is just 199. However, today, the working number is more than 425. About 130 PGM/GM level officers are working in excess from 2020 onwards and in 2021-22 the number will be around 225. Management is simply accommodating hundreds of senior officers in BSNL without any justification and paying them the benefits of 7th CPC, LTC, Transport Allowance, TA, Tuition Fee reimbursement etc., on the revised rates, when the same are denied to BSNL employees. It is identified that, about 20 PGM/GMs are in excess at BSNLCO itself. BSNL is paying about Rs.90 to 100 crore per annum as salary and allowances for the excess officers working in BSNL. (from BSNLEU website)

1960 ജൂലൈ 11ന്ന് ആരംഭിച്ച കേന്ദ്രജീവനക്കാരുടെ ഐതിഹാസികമായ പണിമുടക്കിന്റെ അറുപത്തിയൊന്നാം വാർഷികത്തിൽ സമരത്തിന്റെ ആവേശകരമായ ഓർമ്മകൾ! ഒപ്പം കേരളത്തിൽ നിന്നും പണിമുടക്കുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് രക്ത സാക്ഷികളായ പാലക്കാട് ടെലിഫോൺ എക്സ്ചേഞ്ചിലെ ടെലിഫോൺ ഓപ്പറേറ്റർ സ. എകാംബരത്തിന്നും കോട്ടയം ഹെഡ് പോസ്റ്റ് ഓഫീസിലെ പോസ്റ്മാൻ സ ടി.കെ.വർക്കിക്കും ഒരു പിടി രക്ത പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ അർപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

STHREE PAKSHA KERALA – KERALA WITH WOMEN

CPI(M) Kerala is observing 1st to 8th July 2021 as a week dedicated to the cause of the women organising many programmes for the empowerment of women and against various kinds of discrimination, insults, assaults against them. Though dowry system is prohibited, it continues unabated in various forms and married women are mentally and physically assaulted on this issue by husband and in-laws, even resulting in death or suicide. The LDF government is taking various measures to empower women and ensure equal status to them in all spheres. Despite this, wages for men and women are unequal in many areas, with lower wages for women. The struggle continues and sustained efforts will be required to ensure equal status for men and women. Many initiatives are being planned by the government including required modification in the school curriculum, labour rules, continued propaganda etc.

This inequality and discrimination have been continuing for thousands of years in various forms. Struggles were also going against them. In this connection, I remember a few instances in the case of government employees, even in 20th century. Almost all the big telephone exchanges were feminised, meaning that only women Telephone Operators were employed there. Women T.O.s were granted one extra increment for not marrying. Of course, both these conditions could be changed through the struggles by the workers. In the central govt employees’ strike in 1960 and 1968 and proposed P & T strike of 1949, hundreds of lady telephone operators were arrested, jailed in most of the major cities and towns including Calicut, Trichur, Ernakula etc. in Kerala and some of them terminated/ dismissed from service. Almost the same case was with the Air-hostesses and in certain places for Nurses. Airhostesses had to go to court to get the right to marry, if I remember correct. Nurses had to struggle to get their half skirt uniforms changed. (Recruitment of men telephone operators, Stewards and Nurses gradually changed the situation).

In many other professions, similar discrimination existed and sometimes continues. The struggle for equal status is not an easy one. The struggle has to be continued at home, public spaces, work places, worshipping places etc. etc. Removing the discrimination existing for centuries is not easy. But it is necessary for the future of the human existence. The fight continues.

22Biplab Das, Chandrasekharn Puthiyaveettil and 20 others1 CommentLikeCommentShare

When BSNL was formed, there were about 3.5 lakhs employees including both executives and non-executives, out of which about 3 lakhs were non-executives. Now, after 20 years, the non-executives have been reduced to 32,027 out of about the 60,000 odd employees. 80,000 employees were forced to take VRS through several compulsions in the year 2000 , reducing the staff to almost half. Now further staff are reduced since no new recruitment.

There were about 50 – 60 cadres when BSNL was formed in the non-executive. Now, it is reduced to four viz. JE, TT, ATT and Sr.TOA. The last two cadres are being treated as cadres in which rarely there will be recruitment. Posts are being treated as supernumerary, meaning that on retirement of an official that post will be abolished.

These are part of the govt policy of either closure, privatisation or demolition of this prime institution.

The agitational programme chalked out by the All Unions, Association of BSNL (AUAB) are fully justified. Not only the associations/unions of working employees but pensioners organisation , AIBDPA, has fully supported the programme and will participate in them.

SAVE BSNL – SAVE NATION