PANJIM: A Siolim-based school that delayed monthly salary payment to its suspended Headmaster has informed the Goa State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) of paying him compensation of Rs 5,000.
Shubam Naik had moved the commission last year alleging that his father Suryakant Naik was not paid his monthly salary since February 2014 after being suspended as Headmaster of the Keerti Vidhyalaya, Siolim. Owing to the non-payment of salary for several months, he had said the family was going through ‘great harassment and mental torture’.
The school management, in its reply during the hearing had stated that Suryakant was suspended by following due process of the law, however, releasing Subsistence Allowance (SA) to him took time since the latter had not completed the formalities.
“Instead of complying with the required formalities to claim the SA, the father of the complainant started finding faults in the suspension order thereby causing delay in payment of SA. Ultimately, vide letter dated 23-05-2014, he completed the formalities and thereafter the bill and other formalities required for the SA payment were completed by the school authorities, and SA and other benefits as admissible to the suspended employee for the period from February 24, 2014 till May 23, 2014 was paid,” the school had submitted.
As per the commission’s inquiry report, Suryakant was then reinstated on July 1, 2014 but the complainant stated that the remaining salary for the February 2014 month was not paid. He thereafter alleged delay in payment of SA and monthly salary, to which the commission observed that Suryakant was responsible in delay of payment of SA while the school authorities are responsible for the delay in monthly salary.
“Non-payment of monthly salaries in time to the father of the complainant has caused mental agony and mental torture to them…” the GSCHR stated asking the school to pay Rs 5,000 compensation amount.
