PROTEST against closure of telegram services with effect from July 15

Ludhiana, July 12, 2013: BSNL Employees Union Ludhiana held a massive day-long dharna infront of the GMT office BSNL here, opposing the closure of telegram services with effect from July 15 this year.

The call for dharna was given by the Central Head Quarter of BSNL Employees Union.

Balbir Singh, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU Punjab while addressing the gathering said that the BSNL Management took a decision to close the Telegram Services w.e.f. July 15 this year without consulting the recognised unions. The plea of the BSNL Management that the department is incurring heavy losses due to continuation of these services, is far from truth as the telegraph offices have already been converted into Customer Service Centers. In the Customer Service Centers in addition to Telegram services telephone/mobile bills, Bill deposit, Telephone/Mobile booking, Duplicate bill issue facilities are being provided. The BSNL management has taken this decision in hasty manner and without consulting the stake holders. No doubt they entered the age of High speed Internet and 4G services. But still telegraph Services are being used by the public and government departments. Moreover the telegram services still continuing in the developed countries such as Canada, Germany, France, Russia. He strongly condemned the government move to close the telegram services.

S.P. Singh, Circle Secretary and Pritam Chand District Secretary, National Federation of Telecom BSNL Employees fully supported the agitation launched by BSNL Employees Union all over the country. While addressing they said that the move of the government to close the Telegram services is unfortunate as the rural masses still depends upon the telegram services.

Balwinder Singh, District Secretary, BSNLEU Ludhiana said that the telegram is the only legal document accepted in court of law as documentary proof. Email, Fax, SMS or any other means of communication are not accepted as a valid proof. Daily working of medical representatives is based on telegram services only. Defence services are still using this facility. So this service is and social obligation also. So it should not be closed, he further said that their protest will continue.

Others spoke included Budh Singh, Circle Treasurer, Paramjit Singh District President, Avtar Singh Jhande , Rajeev Sharma, Assistant District Secretary BSNLEU Ludhiana Amarjit Chander, Jaswant Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Surinder Singh, Amrik Singh, Sudesh Joshi, Atul Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, Chaman Lal, Prem Singh, Satpal and Madan Lal.