Sacked PTIs take to labour, run small shops to eke out a living

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, July 16

Sacked from their government jobs over a year ago, several physical training instructors (PTIs) have been compelled to take to labour, sell fruits and run small shops to eke out a living as they were unable to secure jobs in the private sector.

Anand, resident of Girawar village in Rohtak, works as a farm labourer while Vijay Duggal, a resident of Julana in Jind, works as a construction worker. Narendra of Rohtak sells fruits, Jagroshan of Sampla town works as a confectioner and Satbir runs a grocery shop in Rohtak. Many others, are engaged in similar activities to make both ends meet.

1,983 appointed in 2010

The district president of the Haryana PTIs Sangharsh Samiti, Sandeep, said 1,983 PTIs were appointed in 2010. The Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside the recruitment in 2011. “Later, a double Bench of the High Court in 2013 and the Supreme Court in 2020 also upheld the verdict. Then, the state government sacked them in June 2020. Since then, they have been staging an indefinite dharna in Rohtak,” he added.

“I am the sole breadwinner in my family. There are seven members in my family — my wife, four daughters, a son and my parents. Everything was going well during my service years but life took a turn after I lost my job during the pandemic. I picked up the job as a labourer in the construction business and now earn Rs 350 per day but I hardly get work for even 15 days a month,” said Vijay.

Jagroshan said he worked as a confectioner during the day and at a factory in the nights to earn money. “My wife has been under depression ever since I lost my job. I am the bread winner of the family,” he added.

Satbir, while sharing his story, stated that he had taken a loan of Rs 13 lakh to construct his house over a year ago but was now struggling to repay it. “I had to open a grocery shop to repay the loan and run my home. My daughter and son are pursuing higher studies, for which I have to pay a hefty fee. The government has left us at the mercy of God. A majority of sacked instructors are above 50 years of age and are not eligible for any government job at this stage,” he added.