Payment of teachers, staff: HC asks Eastern Coalfield’s MD to deposit Rs 6 lakh

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay directed the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) to deposit Rs 6 lakh for the payment of the salaries of the teachers and non-teaching staff who have allegedly not been paid since November 2022.

The court further directed that if the situation arises then the payment of a few months can be done to teachers and non-teaching staff of the schools using this deposit. The amount needs to be submitted to the Registrar General within 10 days. The matter will be heard next on May 11.

Justice Gangopadhyay had appointed a special officer for submitting a report on the conditions of the schools, in respect of which ECL had stated that 19 schools under Grant-in-aid were found non-existing physically.The special officer visited nine schools in Jharkhand and seven schools in West Bengal.

According to his report, all 16 schools are functioning, however, the number of students and teachers in some of the schools is low. It has also been alleged that there is no distribution of mid-day meals, as per the special officer’s report. Justice Gangopadhyay directed the petitioners’ advocate to calculate the total amount of salary due and submit it within two days.

However, as of now ECL has to deposit an amount of Rs 6 lakh as interim measure.The judge observed that the ECL has liberty to file an exception to this report within 7 days, starting from Tuesday.