Explain claim raised by TSTransco, Telangana HC directs APTransco

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Saturday issued notice to the  AP Transmission Corporation Limited (APTransco), four trusts associated with it and the principal secretary, energy, to respond to a writ petition filed by the TSTransco and four associated trusts claiming that the AP-based organisations owed them around Rs 1,730 crore.

A division bench comprising Justice Ponugoti Naveen Rao and Justice Jaggannagari Srinivasa Rao adjourned the hearing to October 13. The trusts cover pension and gratuity, Provident Fund, earned leave encashment and gratuity.

In their petition, TSTransco and the four trusts said that the APTransco and its trusts used to cover power employees in the undivided state. After state organisation, TSTransco and its trusts came into existence to operate in Telangana state.

But, APTransco and its trusts had not been bifurcated and they still held the employees trust funds, bonds, contingency reserves and others totalling Rs 1,730 crores, the petitioners said. They stated that they were suffering as a result of the respondents' “arbitrary, illegitimate, and unlawful behaviour” of holding the monies on hand and failing to transfer the trust payments and other dues to the TS-based entities. Employees who retired in Telangana are having a difficult time in getting their terminal benefits, the petitioners said.

The petitioners stated that it was extremely difficult for them to fulfil their obligations to pay pension, gratuity, terminal benefits, and Provident Fund obligations of TSTransco personnel and pensioners. The debts owed to the petitioners by the respondents were legitimate debts, which had not been paid even eight years after bifurcation.