Wary of merger with GHMC, Cantt Board staff up the ante

Hyderabad: The future of Secunderabad Cantonment employees following the excision and merger of civilian areas with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) remains a subject of concern. In light of this situation, members of the All India Cantonment Board Employees Federation staged a protest in front of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board office on Thursday to address their grievances.

The protesters have highlighted some crucial points regarding the current situation. It is reported that there are 400 permanent employees and an additional 1,300 outsourced employees working in various departments of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board. According to the protesters, over 90 percent of the employees are opposed to the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) proposal regarding the excision. The MoD’s proposal suggests that employees working in Cantonment Boards have the option to work for either the central or state government municipality. However, the protesters argue that in reality, after the merger with the local municipality, Cantonment employees are being treated as newly recruited employees. This situation disregards their seniority and prior experience.

“The merger process in the SCB is progressing rapidly, raising concerns about the future of employees who have dedicated 25 to 30 years of their life to working in the Cantonment. It is crucial to address the issue of service protection for these employees within the framework of the proposed municipality under excision. Additionally, there is a long-standing matter that needs urgent attention: the provision of Cantonment Fund Land to the employee’s society situated at Hasmathpet and Turkapally trenching grounds. Resolving this matter promptly will help ensure a fair and just settlement for the employees involved.” said A Mahender, president of Secunderabad Cantonment Board Employees Federation.

Recently after the excision of Kasauli Cantonment, Himachal Pradesh, employees have not been given satisfactory posts, so to have a clarity we have staged a protest and also submitted a memorandum to higher officials, he added.

“Having dedicated the last 20 years of my career to this job, I was initially informed that it was a non-transferable position. However, with the upcoming merger of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), concerns arise about our future. According to the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) norms, Cantonment employees are given the option to work for either the central or state government. Unfortunately, we have yet to receive any clarity from higher officials regarding our situation.

In addition to this uncertainty, it is crucial to address the issue of superannuation for present employees. The retirement age, as maintained by the Central Government, should be maintained by the transferring Municipal Corporation. This ensures consistency and fairness in retirement policies for employees affected by the merger.,” said Shekar, employee of SCB.