UTTARAKHAND ROADWAYS KARAMCHARI UNION Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) It is extremely disconcerting that the Uttarakhand State Road Transport Corporation and the Government of Uttarakhand should blame each other for non-payment of salaries to the employees of the State Road Transport Corporation for the past two months i.e. for the months of July and August, 2019. Salary to these employees, for the month of September, 2019, would also fall due in less than a week from now.

(2.) In the counter-affidavit, filed by the Corporation, it is stated that, at the time of implementation of the 7th Pay-Commission, the State Government had given its consent to make payment towards the loss incurred by the Corporation for plying buses in the hilly routes; till date Rs.63.26 crores is due from the Government of Uttarakhand in this regard; and in addition Rs.22.49 crores is also pending reimbursement with the State Government under the free travel schemes provided to various categories of citizens.

(3.) All that the Deputy Secretary, Transport Department, Government of Uttarakhand states, in his counter-affidavit, is that compensation, in respect of plying buses in hilly routes which are not economically viable and for directing the Corporation to provide free bus travel to different categories such as senior citizesns, girl students, visually handicapped, freedom fighters, physically handicapped etc is required to be reimbursed by the State Government; and Rs. 7.00 crores has been paid to the Corporation as compensation.