HRTC union sets Oct 8 bus strike deadline

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Drivers, conductors allege financial irregularities, pending GPF deposits; threaten statewide agitation from October 9

Chamba: HRTC drivers and conductors from Chamba have threatened to go on strike from October 8, alleging financial irregularities by a section officer and non-deposit of their General Provident Fund (GPF) contributions for the past three months.

The union issued the warning during a protest in Shimla, demanding action against the officer within 24 hours. It said the agitation would be extended across Himachal Pradesh from October 9 if its demands were not met.

The drivers and conductors protested against the HRTC section officer posted in Chamba and the management. The union alleged that financial irregularities were being committed by the officer, while the responsibility was being placed on conductors.

HRTC Drivers’ Union president Man Singh Thakur alleged that the section officer had been acting arbitrarily and that the management was protecting the officer while drivers and conductors were being harassed. He said more than 20 days had passed without any action against the officer.

Thakur warned that if action was not taken within 24 hours, buses of the Chamba depot would remain off the roads from October 8. He said the strike would initially affect Chamba district and could be extended across the state from October 9 if the management failed to act.

The union further alleged that the GPF contributions had not been deposited into the accounts of drivers and conductors for three months despite being deducted from their salaries.

Thakur warned of a larger agitation if the management failed to deposit the pending GPF contributions into the employees’ accounts.