THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Empanelled employees of KSRTC have decided to stage a long march to the secretariat as they have lost all their hopes following the high court verdict that directed to terminate them immediately. They are walking 155 km to the secretariat and 3861 families are expecting a positive reply from the government.
The long march was commenced on last wednesday from Alappuzha. The march ended at Sreekaryam on Sunday and will start again at 7 am on Monday and will move toward the secretariat.
The employees were working for a daily wage amount of Rs 480.

Acting on a directive from the Kerala High Court, the state transport Corporation (KSRTC) had removed 3,861 empanelled conductors from service.

The order to this effect was issued Sunday by the court in Kochi to comply with its December 6 direction on a petition by Antony Stejo and others, who alleged that these conductors were blocking recruitment of conductors in the Public Service Commission (PSC) rank list to the post of reserve conductors.
The court had held that the vacant posts should be filled from the rank list of the PSC.

"The workers have been disengaged. They were told yesterday not to report for duty from Monday", Tomin J Thachankary, KSRTC Managing Director.

The High Court Monday asked Thachankary to file a compliance report on the termination of the 3,861 empanelled employees after turning down the corporation's plea for two months time to comply with the direction.

A division bench, headed by Justice V Chidambaresh, declined KSRTC'S plea and directed the corporation to report its compliance by Tuesday.

Those who have completed 10 years of service and put in a minimum of 120 days of service each year are liable to be retained, the court said.

Meanwhile, many of the workers broke down on hearing the news.

A woman conductor, who lost her job, told reporters that she was looking after her aged parents through her earnings.

The march reached Thiruvananthapuram after passing through several depots. There were several unions participating in the strike.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that there is a probability for taking back the empanelled employees. KSRTC is conducting a study on this.