Retired Punjabi University professors protest for pension in Patiala

Patiala, September 26

Punjabi University’s retired professors, many of them octogenarians, today held a two-hour protest outside the university vice chancellor’s office and have threatened to hold hunger strikes in the coming days.

This was a result of the university’s failure to disburse salaries to employees and pension to the retirees.

Some paid, others await funds

The university has disbursed the amount to a few pensioners, while the others are left waiting for the funds. Those who held a protest on the campus include retired octogenarian professors. Prof Jagbir Singh, Punjabi University Retired Teachers’ Association (PURTA)

Retired Prof Jagbir Singh from the Punjabi University Retired Teachers’ Association (PURTA) said they have been waiting for pensions for the month of August while September is coming to an end.

“The university has disbursed the amount to a few pensioners, while the others are left waiting for the funds,” he said.

“Those who held a protest on the campus today include retired octogenarian professors,” he added.

He said as many as 75 members of the Punjabi University Retired Teachers’ Association (PURTA) took part in the demonstration today.

He added, “We have highlighted that the university, as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, is supposed to disburse the pensions within the first 10 days of a month. But it has failed to follow the same.”

The retired teachers said they wait for the amounts for payments towards their medicines and other necessary items.

In case the university fails to disburse payments on time, the retired teachers will hold a hunger strike next week.