Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Aug 10: The officers of speed boat vessels are extremely upset of getting smaller amount of food money comparing to the crew members they are working with.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha some of the officers of speed boat vessels said that the crew members they are working with are paid Rs 12,000 food money while they are getting only Rs. 6000.
“Are we working less than a crew or we are not working, being officer we should be paid higher, why this kind of in justice?” an officer told Andaman Sheekha in case of anonymity.
When Andaman Sheekha contacted the Director of Shipping services, Capt (IN) Rajinder Kumar, he said that to employ officers a lump sum amount is paid to the manning agent and the manning agent pays them as per contract.
“And the crews are paid as per the contract between the administration and the majority union of the crews,” the Director added.
This is yet another example of how people who are getting job through manning firm are getting less payment than people who are getting direct appointment from Administration.
On May 28, 2014, the Lt Governor had directed that the Directorate of Shipping Services should now gear up to undertake the Officer manning for the Foreshore Sector vessels directly.
He had also directed to set up a separate cell for this purpose within the Directorate with all necessary staff and equipment and also to collate and maintain a database of the available qualified officers within the islands as well as at mainland to fully take on the task of officer manning of foreshore vessel in-house by the Directorate at the end of this period of two years.
