Transferred BSNL staff stay put in Chennai

Chennai: At least two dozen senior BSNL officials in the Chennai circle, who were promoted as divisional engineers last year and were supposed to take up new assignments in north India, are continuing in the same posts for their own comfort, violating the transfer norms of the Union telecom ministry. The BSNL corporate headoffice in Delhi has asked for an official reply on the delay in the transfer of the promoted officials.
 Chennai circle, one of the biggest circle offices, has many sub divisional engineers, over 40 of whom have been promoted in the last two years. Accommodating all the promoted engineers is a difficult task and transfers are routine as per BSNL norms, but some, with the influence of the BSNL trade unions, have obtained retention, triggering the current problem, according to BSNL insiders.
 “Trade unions do involve themselves in transfer issues and the failure of both corporate head office and Chennai circle has created the issue. In the recent past there have been several litigations filed against the BSNL due to such unfair practices and at times the court orders are also not implemented in letter and spirit forcing the BSNL employees to go in for contempt petitions,” said retired BSNL divisional engineer Marimuthu.
 A senior BSNL official at the Chennai circle said he issue was being sorted out. Most of the transferred officials had assumed their new posts, a few had obtained retention, yet others had sought a few months for medical or  family reasons. A majority of transfers had been implemented, he added.