EPD told to regularise 39 employees

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Environment Protection Department (EPD) to regularise services of its 39 contractual employees.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh issued the directive on petitions by Shazia Pervaiz and others against their likely termination from service, and seeking regularisation of their jobs. Their counsel said the EPD had employed them on contract for a project.

The project was initially planned to go on until June 6, 2013, but it was extended until December 12, 2013. On January 1, 2014, the project was transferred.

The petitioners said the chief minister had ordered transfer of the 39 employees but the department had not considered their request.

The department’s counsel argued that the project was launched for a specific purpose and duration. He said no posts and funds were available after duration of the project. He said the project had not been transferred.

The court observed that following the CM’s approval, there remained no doubt that the project and the 39 workers had been transferred.

The court said the Supreme Court had laid down the principle under which the employees had the right to be regularised after a project was transferred. The court said that efforts should be made to ensure that no one was prevented from earning his livelihood through an unfair and discriminatory action of public functionaries.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2016.