The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has terminated the services of 469 conductors and 304 drivers for absence from duty without submitting leave and for not reporting back for work on completion of the sanctioned leave.
The orders dismissing the 773 permanent employees belonging to the operating wing of the KSRTC were issued by Chairman and Managing Director Tomin J. Thachankary.
The corporation has issued show-cause notice to the 773 personnel not reporting for duty for one year to eight years and sought explanation from them. The dismissed personnel did not respond to the notice or the directive to report back to duty by May 31, 2018.
By terminating the services of the 773 personnel recruited through the Public Service Commission, the KSRTC has prevented their move to enter the service by producing medical certificate and secure pension.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Thachankary said the decision was part of an initiative to streamline the ailing undertaking. A scrutiny was ordered by the CMD after the corporation struggled to find the crew for operating the 6,000-odd fleet.
The recommendation of the Sushil Khanna committee, tasked by the government to prepare a ‘Crisis and turnaround strategy’ for the KSRTC, that absenteeism and other practices have to be curbed helped the management to take the decision.
The panel has also recommended that the 8.7 employees per bus in the KSRTC be brought down to the national average of 5.5. Tough decisions have to be taken for the survival of the undertaking and the process to terminate the services of those on unauthorised absence in the ministerial and mechanical wings was on, the CMD said.
Responding to the decision, general secretary of the CITU-affiliated KSRTEA C.K. Harikrishnan said the ailing employees who had been dismissed even after submitting leave should appeal to the CMD.