In the Paradip Port Trust (PPT), retired employees are occupying port quarters after their superannuation and beyond the maximum permissible period of one year.
Many of the retired employees are staying in the quarters for more than 13 years; and it is found that some of them have also sublet their quarters to outsiders and are collecting rent for them.
At the same time, the PPT is finding it difficult to give accommodation to people genuinely involved in the running of port and port operations. Workers involved in maintenance of railway tracks are also not finding any accommodation at Paradip, for which they have to commute from Kujang and beyond to do their duties. For this, the port is losing traffic and revenue due to delay in restoration of railway services.
Similar is the case of workers involved in other emergency services of the port like water supply, electricity and plant operations.
While these retirees are enjoying undue benefits, genuine workers to the extent of approximately 700 to 800 have to stay far away from their worksites and face considerable difficulties. Even demands from the State and Central Government offices at Paradip for accommodation cannot be met by the PPT, according to a PPT release.
Besides, the port authorities have also pointed out that recent Supreme Court judgments have been very categorical in eviction of high dignitaries from their Government accommodations beyond their stipulated periods. The port authorities clarified that the retirees in unauthorised occupation of quarters can get medical facilities of the PPT on payment.