Possible termination of employees' services: MD Pida, Punjab government restrained by LHC

Lahore High Court here Friday restrained Managing Director Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Pida) and provincial government from possible termination of its contract employees. The court also issued notices to MD Pida, Chief Secretary, Secretary Irrigation and sought report from them till March 20.
The court passed these orders in the petitions filed by Abdul Qayyum Arif and 147 other employees seeking directions for regularisation of their services. Justice Khan had also issued notices to MD Pida, chief secretary, irrigation secretary and sought report from them till March 20.
The petitioners submitted that Punjab government had in 2010 announced regularisation of all contract employees of BPS-1 to 16 and above by issuing a notification, resultantly all employees of provincial departments as well as autonomous bodies were regularised. They contended that after the announcement the employees knocked every door of the government as well MD Pida for the regularisation of their services but in vain. They argued that the non-regularisation of their services is illegal, discriminatory and against the principals of natural justice. They prayed to the court to issue directions to Punjab government and MD Pida for regularisation of their services.
Earlier, a law officer appeared before the court and submitted the reply of Punjab chief secretary. He said that all government employees, who prevail in contract policy 2004, should be regularised. The court has been told that the post of MD Pida was lying vacant for the last 15 years and secretary irrigation has additional charge of the authority.
At this, court observed: "If Pida has been established on permanent basis then why its employees can not be regularised?" "The bureaucrats after getting study from abroad especially USA trying to impose 'English' style in departments but they do not know the basic problems of the government employees," the court further observed. The court remarked that the authority, Pida, was collecting 'Abyana' (water charges) from the farmers on permanent basis and its funds were also approved by the government than why their employees were being denied from regularisation.