Chandigarh, September 22 
The decision of the PGI authorities to handover a part of sanitation services to Sulabh International, a social service organisation involved in the environmental sanitation, has cost dear to 75 safai karamcharis involved in the job at the institution. In the process, they have been deprived of their provident fund contribution and ESI facilities.
At present, the job is handled by a contractor, who pays Rs 3,213 fixed by the Chandigarh administration as minimum wages to the people employed by him. In addition to it, the contractor contributes 4.75 per cent and 13.61 per cent of this amount against the employees service insurance (ESI) and employees provident fund (EPF), respectively, for his employees. For this, the contractor with the amount spent on the employees charges 4.9 per cent as service charges from the PGI.

On the contrary, the Sulabh had agreed to do the job for Rs 2,900 against every person employed by it, said the sources. Even as Sulabh would charge 25 per cent of this amount from the PGI as administrative charges. No ESI contribution or EPF contribution was being offered to the employees.

“This is an injustice to us as the organisation is being offered more than what the earlier contractor was paid, but the employees were left on the mercy of the new contractor, who has denied even our basic requirements,” rued an employee on condition of anonymity.

It was a big help to us and our families as we were assured of getting treatment for our families in case of emergency and the money accumulated in our provident fund account was a guarantee for our future and emergency requirements, said another worker.

The PGI authorities, however, said they had nothing to do with the terms and conditions set by the contractor to employ the workers.

“The Sulabh is an international organisation and it has been handed over the cleanliness responsibilities with an aim to provide better cleanliness at the hospital,” said Dr Raj Bahadur, additional medical superintendent, PGI. “It’s the prerogative of Sulabh at what conditions they employ the workers,” added Dr Raj Bahadur.

Chandigarh, September 22
Kevin Wong, in the finals of under-10 boys singles, defeated his opponent in 19th Yonex Chandigarh State Open Badminton Championship-2007, held at Sports complex Sector 42, here today. 

Brief results:
Girls: U-10 Singles (Final): Purnima Sood b Arshia Sethi; U-13 Singles (Semi Finals): Shreya Chadha b Monica, Daman b Kashish; U-13 Doubles: Shreya and Mehat b Monica and Kashish, Rashmi and Daman b Neetika and Lavanya; U-16 Singles (Semi Finals): Nisha b Japneet, Chetna b Diksha; U-16 Doubles: Manvika and Rashmi b Shriya and Sachi; U-19 Singles: Purnica b Rakhi, Chetna b Japneet; U-19 Doubles: Tanupriya and Nisha b Japneet and Diksha Women: Singles Final: Navita Thakur b Manju Chahal; Doubles: Geeta and Monika b Nisha and Rakhi, Seema and Purnica b Chetna and Lubna; Doubles Semi-final: Manju and Navita b Geeta and Monika
Boys: U-10 Singles Final: Kevin Wong b Tushar; U-13 Singles Final: Ankit b Rajan Singh; U-13 Doubles Final: Arjun and Ankit b Chaitanya and Mehak Mann Singh; U-16 Singles: Tarush b Nishant, Harminder b Kapil, Tejeshwar b Sameer; U-19 Singles: Oscar b Matual, Tushar b Tarush, Ankur b Abhinav, Tushar b Ankur; U-19 Doubles: Oscar and Ankur b Gaurav and Jasleen, Daman Singh and Rajjan Jeet b Shivam and Jaideep  Men: Singles (Semi Final): Oscar Bansal b Vivek Sharma, Pankaj b Ashish Sharma Above 35 age: Singles (Semi Final): Yogesh b Raman, Rajiv Mehta b Sanjay. Doubles (Semi Final): Jagdish and Rajiv b Vijay and Pankaj, Manish and Mahal Chand b Love Kumar and Sanjay. — TNS