R. ASHOK KUMAR Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner is the State General Secretary of Survey Field Staff Association. The petitioner submits that the land surveying is a technique, profession and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and distances and angles between them. Land Surveyors perform a variety of vital tasks such as boundary surveys, topographic mapping and construction staking. A single Surveyor cannot do the whole surveying work without the active help of two or three Chainmen. The posts of Chainman in government service are limited and insufficient to meet present day requirements and the Surveyors are forced to engage Chainmen on their own for specific works.

(2.) The Government of Kerala has fixed ?101/- as the daily wage to the Chainmen, who are being engaged by the Surveyors in connection with survey works. This rate was fixed on 28.03.2005 as per Ext.P2. In earlier occasions, whenever there were increase of daily wages of workers in PWD, the wages of Chainmen were also revised. But, since 2005, neither the Survey Department nor the Government of Kerala has taken any steps to revise the rate of wages. The Surveyors continued to receive ?101/- towards allowance/wages payable to Chainmen engaged by them. Even a common field worker is getting a daily wage of ?500/-. The Surveyors are forced to engage Chainmen by spending ?600/- to 700/- from there own pockets.

(3.) Though the petitioner took up the matter directly with the respondents and by filing writ petitions before this Court, the Government of Kerala, as per Ext.P11 order dated 22.01.2014, stated that the revision of measurement allowance/demarcation charge is under consideration of the Government. Ext.P11 acknowledges the necessity for upward revision of the measurement allowance. However, it was made clear therein that such allowance cannot be granted at the rate of wages payable to daily wage Mazdoors of PWD. Aggrieved by Ext.P11 order, the petitioner is before this Court.