TINSUKIA, July 4 � Alongwith the rest of the nation, in Tinsukia too, the divisional unit of the NF Railway Mazdoor Union observed �black day� by staging a dharna at the New Tinsukia Railway Junction recently, protesting against the recommendations of the Dr Bibek Deb Roy Committee report for the changes in Indian Railways, submitted to the Government of India.
The Union in a press release termed the committee report as a complete road map for privatisation of the whole Indian Railways in the name of reorganisation by core and non-core areas, independent prices, service regulatory body, separation of track and trains to private operators, followed by recommendations for withdrawal of long-enjoyed social obligations, privileges in the shape of various concessions on rail travel to students, press, senior citizens, patients, appointments to railway wards under compassionate ground/ Liberalised Active Retirement Scheme for Guaranteed Employment for Safety Staff (LARSGESS), closure of railway schools, hospitals, Railway Protection Force, etc.
The Union has also termed these recommendations as immature ideas and a direct threat to the safety of rail transport facility to the poor, increase in the unemployment in railway service, privileges, social security measures availed of by railway employees and their families and increase of the financial burden on the Indian Railways and the public. The Union demanded that all the recommendations should be scrapped as a whole, else it would resort to protest programmes like closure of rail movement in the country for indefinite periods.
The Union also observed a campaign week from June 23- 30 for creating awareness about the recommendations of the report.
