THOUSANDS of BSNL employees sat on three-day dharnas in front of their offices/exchanges, demanding immediate action to provide mobile equipment, broadband modem and cables as well as installation of BTS/Towers to enable the employees to provide better services to the customers. The call for organising three-day dharnas from January 6 to January 8 was given by joint forum of all BSNL unions and associations. In New Delhi, the dharna was organised in front of the BSNL Corporate office, with participation of more than 300 employees. It was inaugurated by V A N Namboodiri, convener of the forum, and was addressed by P Abhimanyu, Islam Ahmed, K Sebastin, Prahlad Rai and Jayaprakash among others. The dharnas were part of the agitational programmes planned by the forum for improvement of services as also to put pressure on the management and the government to take necessary steps to revive BSNL. The entire cash balance of BSNL of more than Rs 40,000 crore has been taken over by the government in the name of a notional loan. High charges for spectrum compared to the charges taken from private companies, dividend, etc. leaving BSNL without funds for purchasing equipment. Even after surrendering the spectrum two years ago, the refund of more than Rs 6,000 crore to BSNL is yet to be paid. An amount Rs 1,250 crore allotted from USO Fund for 2012-13 for the loss incurred by BSNL for providing connections in rural area, according to the policy of the government to provide universal connectivity, is yet to be paid. The government, which continues to assure that it will not allow BSNL to die, is in fact planning everything to destroy its own company, in order to favour the private companies, who have donated large amounts to the election funds of the ruling and the main opposition parties. It is also reported that some of the ministers in the UPA and NDA governments have been the advocates of the private telecom companies, before joining the Cabinet and have received hefty sums from them. BSNL is not having a regular CMD for almost a year. Two important posts of Directors are also vacant. The forum demands that these posts be filled up immediately so that there is some governance at least. Fresh recruitment is necessary since more than 1,30,000 employees have retired without any substitute. The BSNL Management with ITS officers, who are on permanent deputation from government, at its helm, has no commitment or interest to take the company to better heights. Their commitment to the BSNL can be measured by the fact that a few hundreds of them have joined the rival private telecom companies immediately after their retirement from service, without even waiting for the cooling period to end. Though decision was taken to recruit Management Trainees, the process is yet to be completed. It is in this context that the forum of BSNL unions and associations has decided to organise action programmes, including dharnas, March to Parliament on February 25, memorandum to the Prime Minister, and indefinite strike from March 17 if the demands are not settled. Despite notice issued to the authorities, they have not even called the unions/associations for a discussion in the matter. (EOM)