Hyderabad: Defending its scheme of dependant employment under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme, the Singareni Collieries Company Limited has informed the Hyderabad High Court that the prime objective of the scheme was a welfare measure for employees who work in extremely hazardous conditions in deep underground mines.
The SCCL filed a counter affidavit before the High Court pursuant to its direction in a petition case by K. Satish Kumar, an employee from Godavarikhani of Peddapally district, challenging the circular issued by the SCCL on Dec 12, 2016 to provide employment to the dependents of the employees on compassionate grounds under the VRS.
A. Ananda Rao, general manager (personnel) of the SCCL in his affidavit said that the scheme has been in force since 1981. The SCCL submitted that the features of the present scheme are similar to the earlier scheme that was in existence till 2002 with suitable modifications.
The SCCL made it clear that unless the employee is declared to be medically unfit by the company’s doctors, the question of extending its benefits does not arise. The scheme is applicable only to male dependents as employment to female is strictly prohibited under the Mines Act, 1957.
The SCCL informed the court that about 5,875 employees have opted for the scheme till February 2017 and their applications will be considered strictly in accordance with the guidelines.
The SCCL told the court that the scheme does not come in the way of recruitment to the other categories of posts.
