Chandrayaan-3 technician forced to sell idlis after govt failed to pay salaries for 18 months
Says he has not been able to pay school fees of his children
In a recent report by the BBC, the plight of Deepak Kumar Uprariya, a technician who played a pivotal role in constructing ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 launchpad, has come to the forefront. Due to a distressing situation, he has been forced to sell idlis at a roadside stall in Ranchi to sustain his family.
Uprariya's predicament stems from his employer, Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited (HEC), a Government of India Company. Despite contributing to the construction of the folding platform and sliding door for Chandrayaan-3, Uprariya claims that he and approximately 2,800 other HEC employees have not received their salaries for a staggering 18 months.
Chandrayaan-3 achieved a significant milestone by executing a soft landing on the Moon's South Pole in August, marking India as the first nation to accomplish this feat. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised ISRO scientists and addressed the Chandrayaan mission's launchpad workers during this momentous event, the HEC employees in Ranchi were grappling with their unresolved salary arrears.
Speaking with the BBC, Uprariya revealed that he resorted to selling idlis to make ends meet, working tirelessly to manage his shop and office responsibilities simultaneously. His daily routine involves selling idlis in the morning, attending the office in the afternoon, and returning to sell idlis in the evening.
Uprariya recounted his financial struggle, saying, "First I managed my household expenses with a credit card and incurred a loan of ₹2 lakh, which I ultimately defaulted on. Subsequently, I began borrowing money from relatives. To date, I have accumulated a debt of four lakh rupees. Unable to secure additional loans, I even resorted to mortgaging my wife's jewelry for a temporary respite."
He further explained his decision to sell idlis, stating, "I felt like the time of starvation had come upon me. My wife makes excellent idlis, and I earn between ₹300 to ₹400 daily, with a profit margin of ₹50-100. I am sustaining my household with this income."
Originally from the Harda district of Madhya Pradesh, Uprariya joined HEC in 2012, hoping for a promising future in this government-owned company. However, circumstances did not align with his expectations.
He lamented the impact on his family, particularly his two daughters who attend school. "This year, I haven't been able to pay their school fees, and the school continually sends notices. My daughters face humiliation in class when teachers ask the children of HEC employees to stand up. Witnessing my children in tears breaks my heart, but I don't let them see me cry," Mr. Uprariya shared.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
