The Hindu Business Line : DoT withdraws services of 1,300 ITS officers

THE Department of Telecom has withdrawn the services of 1,300 Indian Telecom Service officers working in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), despite the stay order given by the Uttaranchal High Court last week.

Senior DoT officials said that the notice was issued to a section of the Group A officers, who where were not covered by the High Court stay order.

The ITS officers Association however termed the DoT notice as `illegal' and unwarranted. "The High Court stay order covers all sections of the Group A officers and therefore it is illegal to issue notices only to a section of ITS officers. We will approach the court to defend our rights," said an ITSA official.

DoT officials said that Group B officers had already been promoted to manage local exchanges and there was no impact on telecom services. "Group B officers have been working in their new role for the past eight days. There is no impact on services," said a senior DoT officer.

The 1,300 ITS officers whose services have been withdrawn have been put in the surplus cell. DoT had earlier issued an order asking all ITS officers to get absorbed in BSNL and MTNL by October 15.

ITS officers however rejected the proposal on the grounds that the package offered would put them in a worse situation both in terms of career and in terms of money. There are about 2,000 ITS officers currently on deputation to BSNL, MTNL, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and DoT.

The latest order withdrawing services have been issued only to those ITS officers who are working in the two PSUs. ITSA said that the DoT had vested interest in removing the officers who have been the think tank for BSNL and MTNL all these years.

The High Court is scheduled to take up the case on November 8.

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