Ex-servicemen irked over limited canteen access in Balasore

BALASORE: Ex-servicemen under the aegis of Veteran Soldiers Welfare Association staged a demonstration in front of Balasore Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur here on Tuesday  protesting discriminatory treatment meted out to them in accessing canteen stores. 

Sources said, a canteen store department (CSD) was established by the Ministry of Defence in 1948 to serve soldiers in the Armed Forces. The services of the unit have now been expanded to include General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), National Cadet Corps (NCC) units, Comptroller of Defence Account (CDA) staff and employees of others related departments.

At least three CSDs have been set up at the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) in Chandipur. One is managed by the ITR, the second by Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) and the third by station headquarters, Chandipur. 

While a sub-canteen has been set up inside the technical area by PXE, it is accessible only to PXE employees. “Once stocks arrive at the DRDO canteen, first preference is given to serving defence civilian employees and veteran soldiers have to manage with whatever items are left,” alleged Maheswar Behera, convener of the association. 

“Old veterans are being made to wait in the queue for hours and even after that they sometimes don’t get basic items despite stocks being available. This clearly points at a discriminatory attitude,” said an agitator. Along side, Rs 1,000 is deducted from their pension towards availing health facilities at the local poly clinic but most of the times there is a short supply of medicines at the store. Repeated pleas to the concerned departments and officials have fallen on deaf ears, the protestors alleged.