MINUTES OF CORE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT 0900 HRS ON 12 SEP 2018 AT 143 VAYUPURI, SECUNDERABAD
The following members were present:-
- Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd) – President
- Cmde Sudheer Parakala (Retd) – Vice President
- Col (Dr) GB Sethi (Retd) – General Secretary
- Lt Col G Parvathesam (Retd) – Treasurer
- H/ Capt B Joseph (Retd) – Joint Secretary
- Col MK Veeramani (Retd) – Head Charity Division
- Lt Col Ravi Choudhary (Retd) – Legal Adviser
- H/ Capt MN Reddy (Retd) – President, TSEWA, Telengana
- Lt Col Vijay Salins (Retd) – Administrator,TSEWA Web Site
- Lt Col (Dr) Bhaskar Reddy (Retd) – Member
- Lt Col VS Ramana Reddy (Retd) – Member
President welcomed all and thanked them for coming for this meeting.
Points from General Secretary
General Secretary informed that with a heavy heart he has to announce the sudden demise of Cdr VR Nikkula (Retd) and Col PR Rao (Retd), Engineers, members of TSEWA. It was decided that a condolence letter will be prepared by the General Secretary which will be signed by the President. This practice will continue in future also. The contact number of Cdr Nikkula is 9989698667 and that of Col PR Rao is 9177227158. Any member who wants to contact them can do so.
General Secretary said that of late, the activities of TSEWA has slowed down a lot in all fields. He cited that (a) Membership drive is very slow, (b) Progress on AFT cases is slow, (c) cases pending in HQ TSEWA for filing is very slow, (d) no new cases have been sensitized to the environment (e) awareness camps held are few and (f) donations received are less. He wanted members to discuss and increase all these activities.
President said that our additional membership, receipt of donation etc depends upon mainly AFT Cases and Awareness camps.
On this Cmde Sudheer Parakala said that filing of new cases which have already been sent to Brig SKS Rana VSM, President, Legal Division is rather slow. Out of the 13 cases already filed we got the judgment in only four cases and progress on other cases is also slow. We do not know whether any cases have been filed at AFT Chandigarh, Lucknow and Jabalpur. HNS-2 and many other cases sent to Delhi are not filed yet. The members who have joined these cases and paid the legal fees are repeatedly ringing up and asking General Secretary, President and Vice President about filing of these cases. For AFT -1 which was filed in Sep 2015, the Judgment has not been given yet, though the hearing, arguments etc are over.
General Secretary said that for the last one year we are talking about filing cases at the Circuit Bench at Secunderabad, but so far not a single cases has been filed. Even though Maj Navdeep in AFT Chandigarh and Col Yogesh Sharma (Retd) in AFT Lucknow are prepared to take up TSEWA cases no Case have been filed so far. Unlike last year this year even receipt of donation is also less.
Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary said that he has spoken to Col PN Padmakumar ( an Ex JAG Officer ), who is practicing in AFT Kochi. Immediately President rang up Col Padmakumar and explained about TSEWA welfare activities and requested him to take up the cases. He was very positive and prepared to take up our cases for a minimum Legal fees. Then Lt Col Ravi Choudhary was asked to co – ordinate and send a few cases to him. Lt Col Ravi Choudhary had agreed to do so. All appreciated the gesture of Lt Col Ravi Choudhary.
It was suggested that if we can put a table and chair in the ECHS Secunderabad, and a volunteer sits for 4 hours i.e. from 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs daily , distribute TSEWA application forms, inform the welfare activities being undertaken for the Single ladies of Sepoys, NCOs, and other PBORs, we may be able to get more members. Col Veeramani volunteered to talk to OIC ECHS Secunderabad in this matter. He rang up the OIC and came to know that he is on leave till Monday ie 17 Sep 2018. Col Veeramani said that he will do the needful in this matter. But he wanted a volunteer to positively sit there. A team of 3 JCOs or NCOs can by rotation do this work. H/ Capt Joseph took the responsibility to get the 3 volunteers to do this job. All appreciated the gesture of H/ Capy B Joseph.
General Secretary wanted Treasurer to give at least once a month, the actual expenditure towards the fixed expenses like salary, rent and allied charges, internet, electricity charges, travel expenses of NEC/ CC members etc. Then we will be able to keep a track of our expenditure towards these, so the actual amount available for Charity can be given. The main inflow and out flow of funds can be intimated by the Treasurer. Treasurer had agreed for the same. Same way Brig SKS Rana VSM will be asked by Gp Capt CRR Sastry (Retd) to give every month, say by the first week of every month the progress of all AFT cases.
Cmde Sudheer Parakala (Retd) said that he has been asking for the time frame for TSEWA HQ to send the cases to Brig Rana VSM, time required by Brig SKS Rana VSM to hand over the cases to our advocate and time taken by our advocate to file the cases in AFTs. A number of veterans from Punjab have been ringing up President, Vice – President and General Secretary informing that those who went to AFT Chandigarh by paying only Rs 10,000 as legal fees have got judgment yet those who joined TSEWA in the legal cases do not know the progress of the cases. It becomes very difficult to satisfy the agitated members who joined our legal cases. We need to evolve a mechanism so that we cut down time taken to file the cases. He strongly recommended the President and Gp Capt CRR Sastry to meet Brig SKS Rana, VSM (Retd) and our advocates in AFT Delhi to impress the embarrassing situation to which the senior office bearers have been put to. He further added even progress reports on status of legal cases is not being put up. There are large number of mails in TSEWA Yahoo Mail Group from petitioners to know about the progress of the legal cases. Generally the advocate gives the progress to his clients. The same is required to be done in our cases too.
After some discussion it was decided that very soon President and Gp Capt Sastry (Retd) will go to Delhi and do the needful.
General Secretary said that the progress on AFT – 7 for SFP to wives of soldiers died in harness is also very slow. Our advocate after accepting the case six months to one year before now asks additional requirement from the petitioners. It becomes extremely difficult to get the additional information from the petitioners. Many a time the required information is not available. Moreover most of the wives of deceased JCOs / OR do not have access to e-mails. Therefore it is requested our advocates must study the legal brief we sent to them and give us list of documents to cut down such delays. The petitioners are getting agitated at the avoidable delay. Lt Col MPS Bhatia (Retd), Coordinator of AFT – 7 has sent innumerable mails to HQ TSEWA and to Brig SKS Rana, VSM requesting the case be filed at the earliest.
General Secretary said that the enhanced legal fees for AFT – 7 from petitioners which may be demanded by our advocate has to be paid.
At this stage the President informed that a decision has been taken not to ask wives of deceased JCOs and OR to pay additional legal fees but only ask the wives of deceased officers to pay the additional legal fees demanded by our advocate. TSEWA will definitely get a bad name if we keep changing the legal fees.
Lt Col N Ravi Chowdhary (Retd) suggested that case file Smt Kumari Nettimi, wife of (late) Sqn Ldr Nettimi for SFP as her husband passed away in service is in the advanced stage in AFT Chennai. TSEWA should await the judgment of AFT Chennai.
President informed that Brig SKS Rana, VSM is doing his best to expedite the filing of cases in AFT Delhi, Lucknow and Jabalpur. To file cases in AFT Chandigarh petitioners have to be residents of states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh UT. If we have to file the cases in AFT Chandigarh, then we need to segregate the petitioners from these four states / UT. The legal fees then may have to be enhanced. It is seen from telephonic conversation with members of TSEWA that even OR are willing to pay little more legal fees but they want filing of legal cases to be expedited.
President informed now that Lt Col N Ravi Chowdhary has agreed to take up legal cases to be filed in Circuit bench,Secunderabad of AFT Chennai and arranged for an advocate in AFT Kochi, we need to rethink our strategy of filing our cases in AFTs in South India.
Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary (Retd) had assured that he will file BB- 4 case within a month. He told that he has already sent the legal notice and also got their reply from the respondents. He is confident he will be able to file the case in Circuit bench AFT Chennai by end of Sep 2018.
Charitable Activities.
Cmde Sudheer Parakala (Retd) expressed his anguish that TSEWA has failed to find a suitable girl child of an ESM prosecuting professional studies like MBBS, Engineering, BDS, MBA, MCA etc to get financial assistance of Rs 1 Lakh donated by Smt Asha Varanasi, wife of a retired soldier. She has agreed to accept even son of an ESM to be considered for getting financial assistance.
General Secretary informed that he came across last week Sub Maj Mallesh of EME whose daughter got a seat in First Year MBBS in Government Medical Colege, Karimnagar through merit quota. So he suggested that the Rs 1 lakh given by Mrs Asha Varanasi can be given to this girl.
Immediately he was asked to contact the JCO and asked him to come to our office. Col (Dr ) GB Sethi (Retd) rang up and called Sub Maj Mallesh, to come to TSEWA office. Sub Maj Mallesh immediately came to our office. After getting all the details from him, it was decided that Mrs Asha Varanasi’s condition for financial assistance are met by this girl and we can give financial assistance to her. Cmde Sudheer Parakala (Retd) contacted Smt Asha Varanasi and it was decided that in the evening of auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi of 13 Sep 2018, Sub Maj Mallesh will come to TSEWA office with his daughter and accept the financial assistance from Smt Asha Varanasi. President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Members of Charity Division will be in attendance on the occasion of handing over of financial assistance. Col MK Veeramani (Retd) President, Charity Division advised Sub Maj Mallesh to submit the copies of documents such as admission into MBBS, college fees, marks obtained in EAMCET examination when he comes to collect the cheque for Rs 1 Lakh on 13 Sep 2018.
Action to be taken by Brig SKS Rana VSM, Gp Capt CRR Sastry, General Secretary, Treasurer, President, Lt Col Ravi Choudhary, Col MK Veeramani, H/ Capt Joseph, Cmde Sudheer Parakala
Points from H/ Capt Joseph
Capt Joseph said that he has spoken to a few Presidents of ESM Organisations locally. They have agreed to join NCESMO as Local Confederations. President asked Capt Joseph and Capt MN Reddy to do the needful as intimated earlier in our Meeting. Both agreed to do the same.
Points from the President
President informed that Col Ajit Rana’s course mate Col Virendra Tavathia (Retd) in USA had donated Rs 4 lakhs towards charity from his US based Shraddha Foundation to TSEWA. Col Ajit Singh Rana (Retd) President, North Zone, Haryana and Delhi NCR identified genuine cases of ESMs and family pensioners who needed financial assistance. The members of Shraddha Foundation, USA approved some of them and sent financial assistance amounting to Rs 4 Lakhs to TSEWA. The same was sent to Col Ajit Singh Rana and Col Raghbir Singh, TSEWA, Punjab for distribution to the beneficiaries. Col Raghbir Singh and Col Ajit Rana have identified a widow of a sepoy with four daughters and a son. She has no other source of income. Rs 80,000/- was given to Mrs Asha Rani of Punjab. Col Ajit Singh Rana also distributed financial assistance to a beneficiary in Pataud vill in Haryana. Financial assistance to Smt Dharmistha Ben Patel, wife of (late) Bhawesh Patel, ASC of Ahmedabad was sent to Col KB Singh of TSEWA in Ahmedabad to be handed over to her. The financial assistance was given to Smt Dharmistha Ben Patel. Photos and videos taken on the occasion will be put up in TSEWA blog soon.
The Core Committee of TSEWA appreciated kindness of Col Virendra Tavathia (Retd) and Sharaddha Foundation to help ESMs and family pensioners and thanked them profusely. Col Ajit Singh Rana and Col Raghbir Singh were also thanked for taking time off their busy schedule to visit the families in their homes to hand over the cheques.
Action to be taken by Col Ajit Rana, Col Raghbir Singh, Col MK Veeramani, Treasurer
There being no other points President thanked all members and the meeting ended.
Warm regards,
Brig CS Vidyasagar (Rtd)