VASCO
The Goa Human Rights Commission at Panaji on Tuesday directed the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) chief officer to pay the pension arrears of its former employee, who has been awaiting payment of Rs 60,000 for five years, within a period of one month.
A complaint was filed before the commission on October 29, 2018, stating that Krishnanath Harmalkar had not received his pension arrears from January 2016 to August 2017.
On perusing the complaint, the commission in an order on November 8, 2018, called for a report from the respondent, the chief officer of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC).
The MMC chief officer filed the report on December 7, 2018 stating that due to paucity of funds, the pension arrears under Seventh Pay could not be disbursed and final calculation is already prepared, approved and arrears would be paid in due course of time after generating the funds.
The chief officer sought three months to disburse the entire arrears of pension to the complainant.
Harmalkar filed his rejoinder on March 7, 2019 stating that he had still not received the pension arrears of Rs 60,000 from January 2016 to August 2017.
In its order on Tuesday, the commission headed by Justice U V Bakre and comprising Desmond D’Costa and Pramod V Kamat (members) found that the delay in payment of pension arrears to the complainant had caused a serious violation of his human rights.
The commission has directed the MMC chief officer to pay arrears of pension of Rs 60,000 of the complainant within 30 days along with a simple interest at 6% per annum from September 1, 2017 till final payment.
