On Day Eight, HC reserves order on TN ordinance

The court also heard the appeal filed by the state government against a July 6 order of judge P.D. Dinakaran directing the release of those arrested striking employees and allowing them to rejoin their duties.

Meanwhile, the employees do not seem to be unduly deterred by a host of repressive measures, including sacking, detention and fresh appointments. While the employees agonise over their future, job-seekers are thronging the state Secretariat and the district collectorates. Those who land temporary jobs would be paid a consolidated pay of Rs 4,000 per month and they have to execute a bond at the time of appointment.

Though the government is trying to make do with those who haven’t joined the strike and the new recruits, work continues to remain paralysed. Even the recruitment of substitute staff hasn’t been easy. With an overwhelming response to the strike, there’s hardly anyone to help with the necessary formalities.

Admissions to various educational institutions have begun but students cannot collect important documents like community, income or nativity certificates from the taluk offices. These papers are a must for admissions.

Government sources argue that Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had announced concessions to the tune of Rs 515.84 crore to the employees — a four per cent hike in DA, release of pay hike arrears for midday meal workers and payment of gratuity in cash (instead of 50 per cent in bonds as announced earlier) — despite a Rs 865 crore budget deficit.

To this, the agitating employees say such minor sops cannot hide the fact that her government had effected a sharp cut in pension benefits and taken away other usual privileges like encashment of accumulated leave.

The Chief Minister has stressed the establishment overheads take up a huge 95 per cent of government’s revenues, thus crippling developmental work. ‘‘The scarce resources have to be judiciously utilised,’’ her ministers say.