COIMBATORE: Temporary staff at Bharathiar University have expressed disappointment after the university administration refused to provide them with a Deepavali advance.
With just one week left for Deepavali, the staff said they are worried about managing expenses for purchasing clothes and other items without the advance.
A staff member working on consolidated pay, who did not wish to be named, told TNIE that around 480 temporary staff and daily-wage workers are employed at the university in various jobs, including gardening and plumbing, and earn a maximum monthly salary of around Rs 20,000 on average.
"Usually, the university administration would provide a Deepavali advance of Rs 10,000 around 10 to 15 days before the festival. Later, Rs1,000 would be deducted from the employees' salary every month. Even last year, we received the advance and celebrated Diwali by purchasing clothes and other items using the advance," he said.
However, he said the university has refused to give the advance to temporary staff so far, leaving them worried about whether they would be able to celebrate the festival at all.
Bharathiar University Employees' Welfare Association general secretary M Ramesh Kumar told TNIE that the association submitted a petition to the registrar on October 13, urging the university to provide an advance of Rs 15,000 this year, an increase of Rs 5,000 from the previous amount.
"However, the university approved the advance amount for only staff working regularly on October 29. This is purely biased. Temporary staff are affected due to this. Hence, university vice-chancellor committee convenor and registrar should take immediate steps to provide the advance amount without delay," he urged.
Meanwhile, the association will conduct a demonstration on the university campus on Monday evening, urging the administration to release the advance for temporary staff. When contacted, Registrar R Rajavel said he would look into the issue.