BSNL, MTNL strike on, services hit badly

Already disrupted telecom services across the country could degrade to almost total breakdown of long distance, basic telephony and even cellular telephone services if the demands of the group ‘A’ and ‘B’ officers of BSNL and MTNL are not met.

MTNL Q2 net dips

MUMBAI: MTNL’s net profit has declined by 35.41 per cent to Rs 246.94 crore for the second quarter ended September 30 as compared to Rs 382.34 crore in the same period last year. The total income has also decreased to Rs 1,527.97 crore in the reporting quarter as against Rs 1,706.25 crore. (PTI)

“We will review our strategy on Monday. If discussions do not yield results, the level of work to rule would be intensified. In that case, telecom services would be totally disrupted,” BSNL’s Executives Association general secretary G.L. Jogi said. BSNL Executives Association is one of the three unions on strike, the others being Telecom Engineering Officers Association and MTNL Executives Association.

The officers, numbering about 40,000, are demanding hike in salaries. They are also asking for payment of pension by the government for MTNL employees, as the facility has already been approved for BSNL. Chairman and managing director of BSNL, Prithipal Singh said that control rooms have been set up to deal with any problems. “As of now, our update is that there are normal dislocations in the network. It is not to the extent so as to create an alarming situation,” he said. Earlier, the general secretary of MTNL Executives Association, V.K. Tomar, had said that the work-to-rule agitation could be taken ahead to a full scale strike if the demands of the agitating officers are not met.