BEST asks retirees to vacate quarters

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) have been asking its retired employee to vacate their houses without paying the gratuity. The BEST committee chairman have directed the administration not to evict them unless they are paid gratuity.

The BEST will have to pay Rs 355 crore to its 3,700 employees. Around 160 former employees have occupied the staff quarters. The personnel and welfare department of BEST have served notices to them for eviction; otherwise, they will be forced to pay three times the existing rent.

A BEST committee member Anil Kokil, who had raised the gratuity issue of BEST employees last week with the administration, told The Asian Age, “The BEST does not have fund to pay gratuity to their retired employees. I know several retired people, who have been given notices of eviction by the BEST administration, which had failed to avail the gratuities to them.”  

Ravi Raja, BEST committee member and leader of Opposition in BMC, said, “The BEST administration should not evict them without giving gratuity, because the people, who are retired, need financial help for their future and other family commitment.”

Chairman of the committee Ashish Chemburkar said, “I have written a letter to welfare department personnel of the BEST administration to not evict retired employees who have not been availed of their gratuities.

The retired employees will be charged the rent as they were paying while in the service. The department will convey the General Manager of BEST about my decision. I will ensure that no retired employee will be evicted unless they are being paid their rightful gratuities.”