Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 7
After struggling to get benefits of pay revision for the past 36 years, the resurfacing of a “lost” order has given a ray of hope to a 85-year-old former Captain who retired as the Zila Sainik Welfare Officer of Chandigarh in 1988.Capt Dhan Singh Rathore, an emergency commission officer, who fought in the 1965 Indo-Pak War, was released from the Army in 1968 and thereafter appointed as the Zila Sainik Welfare Officer. At the time of his appointment, it was a Class-II post given the population of ex-servicemen in Chandigarh.A fresh census of ex-servicemen consequently revealed higher population and accordingly, the central government issued a letter in 1977, upgrading the appointment to a Class-I post. Captain Rathore was entitled to the difference due to an increase in salary with effect from 1978, which was to be re-fixed in accordance to the pattern followed by Punjab.Captain Rathore said that the then Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh issued orders in 1980, sanctioning revised pay scale for him, but no action was taken by the dealing staff. The revision of pay also means revision of pension.“Ï made numerous rounds of the offices concerned, but nothing moved. I was told that either the orders were not available or have not been received,” he said. “In 1984, the Deputy Commissioner again wrote to the Home Secretary on the matter, but to no avail,” he added.Later, he met with a serious accident, which required hip replacement and was bed-ridden for a long time. After he recovered, his son took him to Canada with him so that he could be taken care of properly. Consequently he could not pursue his case.“I have now again taken up my case and sought details under the Right to information Act. Copies of the relevant orders and letters on pay revision that were earlier said to be missing, were attached to the reply, which now strengthens my case and gives me hope”, Rathore said. “I have now been asked to meet senior UT Administration officers later this month with regard to my claims,” he added.