14 years on, driver yet to get gratuity, PF dues

TIRUCHY: A 67-year-old man, who lost his job at the age of 53 apparently for no fault of his, has spent the last 14 years struggling to receive gratuity and provident fund from the government. However, the government said he was only a contract employee and was not eligible for PF.S Rengarajan was appointed as a driver on July 22, 1971, in the defunct Medical Aid Scheme. After serving for 26 years, he lost his job, as fund crunch forced the scheme to close. A meeting of education officials held on August 22, 1997 decided to stop the scheme. But, it passed a resolution to pay provident fund and gratuity to him. Rengarajan’s salary certificate as on December 1997, the last month of his service, shows deduction of PF and GPF loan.As he was not given the promised gratuity and provident fund, Rengarajan filed a petition with the Assistant Commissioner of Labour (ACL), who issued an order on February 20, 1998, directing the secretary of the Medical Aid Scheme to pay his arrears salary, gratuity and salary compensation for the loss of service. His arrears amount to `6,26,389.As the ACL’s order was not honoured, Rengarajan moved the Madras High Court. In a verdict dated November 6, 1998, Justice K Sampath ordered the Director of School Education and the Chief Educational Officer to consider his petition.Meanwhile, Rengarajan submitted petitions to the President of India and the Chief Minister’s grievance cell several times. When the petition was forwarded from the CM’s grievance cell and President’s office to the Directorate of Education, his  request was rejected again.Rengarajan moved the Madurai Bench of the HC again for a stay on the education department’s order rejecting his request.