NEW DELHI, Dec 5 — Postal services all over the country were paralysed with more than six lakh employees of the department going on an indefinite strike to demand among other things, higher wages.

The government, maintaining that the employees were attempting to reopen old issues despite the full and final settlement of all pending demands, said it was putting a contingency plan into action, whereby skeletal services would be maintained.

The employees federations — National Federation of Postal Employees, Federation of National Postal Organisations and Bharatiya Postal Employees Federation — claimed 80 per cent success on the first day of the strike with the impact in West Bengal and Kerala being cent per cent.

Employees observed a dharna in front of various post offices in the Capital and a mountain of mail bags lay unattended at airports and stations.

“There are demonstrations in front of all post offices in the Capital and parts of the country”, general secretary of the National Federation of Postal Employees C. Chandran Pillai said.

He said the entire fleet of mail motor service had been grounded. He ruled out the possibility of withdrawing the strike till the government accepted their demands.

On the demands of the federations, an official statement said: “In respect of extra departmental agents, the postal federations have been making fresh demands even though the Group of Ministers considered these demands in 1998 and the Cabinet approved improvement in the working conditions of the ED staff as full and final settlement of all pending demands.”

Announcing the contingency plan, the government said the Chief Post Master-General of all states had been instructed to provide skeletal postal services in respect of transmission and delivery of mail and payment of money.

It has been decided to keep all VSATs functional and speed post services operational throughout the country.

At the headquarters, a control room has been set up to monitor the situation and take appropriate steps towards maintaining essential postal services.

The statement said postal services all over the country had been affected in varying degrees following the strike.

CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — Postal services were today partially affected in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh as employees of the department went on an indefinite strike seeking higher wages and benefits.

Over 25,000 non-gazetted employees of the postal department falling in group C and D categories went on an indefinite strike, affecting the postal services partially, a postal department spokesman said.

Among others, their demands include implementation of the recommendations of the Justice Charanjit Committee for extra-departmental employees, upgradation of pay scales of grade D employees and implementation of upgraded pay scales of postmen, mail guards, sorting assistants and postal accounts staff.

SANGRUR: On the call of three postal employees federations, postal employees on Tuesday went on an indefinite strike which paralysed the postal services.

They held a rally in front of the local head post office.

The employees are demanding implementation of accepted proposals signed on December 18, 1998, upgradation of 10 per cent posts of BCR to HSG-1 in all cadres, and implementation of the recommendations of the Justice Charanjit Committee.

GURDASPUR: Postal services were paralysed here due to a strike by postal employees on Tuesday. The employees held a rally on the premises of the head post office were speakers said the strike would not be withdrawn till their demands were conceded.

Postal employees at Dina Nagar, Dhariwal, Kahnuwan, Kalanaur, Dorangala, Dera Baba Nanak and Qadian also observed the strike.

MANSA: Postal employees went on an indefinite strike to demand hike in their wages, Mr Sita Ram, sub-post master and president of an employee’s union, said.

Reports of strikes were also received from Batala, Moga, Fazilka and Muktsar.

FARIDKOT: Staff of the district post office here went on indefinite strike in protest against the Central Government for not accepting their demands.

They also held a rally.

SHIMLA: Postal services were affected in Himachal Pradesh as employees of the department went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday in support of their demands.

Employees assembled outside their offices, organised rallies and dharnas and raised slogans against the government for not implementing the Talwar Committee recommendations and upgradation of pay scales of various categories of employees.

In Shimla, the employees gathered at the general post office and organised a rally which was addressed by union leaders. However, the speed post service functioned normally.

HAMIRPUR: Postal services were crippled in this district as postal employees went on an indefinite strike in support of their demands.

The employees held a rally outside the head post office and also held a demonstration. Employees leaders hit out at the Central Government for its “anti-employees” stance and demanded acceptance of their demands.

SONEPAT: Postal employees went on strike here and elsewhere in this district, paralysing the functioning of the head post office and its allied offices.

The striking employees assembled outside the head post office and raised slogans against the government. They also sat on a dharna to press for their long-standing demands.

BATHINDA: Employees of the postal department of this division observed a strike and organised a rally in protest against the Central Government for not accepting their demands.

Class III, group D and RMS employees of different post offices participated in the strike.

Mr Avtar Singh Bhatoa, Chairman, ICA, demanded that the scales of LSG, BCR and HSG-1 should be increased and additional increments to drivers, workshop staff, PO and RMS accountants should be given.

AMRITSAR: Postal employees went on an indefinite strike here and organised rallies.

Postal work in this district was paralysed following the strike.