Without salary for over a year, HEC employees seek redressal, may move court

The total salary due for officers is for 15 months while that for workers is for 12 months, said Subhash Chandra, a deputy manager rank official

Around 1,300 staff of Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC), the PSU that some years ago built a launch pad for ISRO, have not been paid their salaries for over a year forcing them to live in penury, and now they have threatened to move court if the issue is not addressed soon.

The employees alleged that because of this situation, they are unable to pay their children’s education fees or treat ailing family members properly, and some of them including officers have started selling fruits or tea to make both ends meet.

Workers and officers of the Ranchi-based PSU have formed a combined forum, HEC Adhikari Evam Karmachari Jankalyan Sangh, to fight the battle.

Its president Prem Shankar Paswan told PTI that they have drawn the attention of President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, the NHRC and others to their plight through emails on January 23.

“If our problem is not resolved soon, we will have to move court in February,” Mr. Paswan said.

The total salary due for officers is for 15 months while that for workers is for 12 months, said Subhash Chandra, a deputy manager rank official.

The chairman and managing director of BHEL, who sits in Delhi, holds the additional charge of CMD of HEC. The official did not respond to phone calls, messages and email by PTI till the publication of this report.