24th National Convention of ARTEE is scheduled to be held at Chennai on 28th, 29th and 30th Sept, 2005 . This convention is happened to be very crucial at the juncture of transit period of Prasar Bharati especially from E/Z's point of view - as after zone bifurcation, East Zone has been evolved as the scapegoat of this whimsical bifurcation, surviving with choked promotional avenues. So discussion on this issue should be a vital agenda in this ensuing National Convention and to make this happen everyone as responsible and dedicated member of ARTEE, E/Z, should put forward your suggestion to combat such burning problem. Every Unit of ARTEE (E/Z) should rise to the occasion to make this convention a platform to eke out a permanent solution of our problem. Therefore, necessary drive in the form of financial contribution is also expected from all units of ARTEE ( E/Z) to make this convention a success.
During our stint as office bearers in the last couple of years, we tried hard to streamline the transfer and posting of staffs, which had gone disarray during earlier days. Transfer of staff in LPTs, which were long due, is enhanced.
We have made repeated vocal &written correspondence with the authority regarding
Helper 's promotion. In 2002-2003 CE (E/Z) informed D.G office that there was no vacant Post for technician .So no promotion was feasible for helpers. Afterwards we clarified the matter to CE,(E/Z) with thorough calculation that how many 'Technician' post lay vacant and where. Now the authority is pondering over the matter.
To increase the number of difficult stations in E/Z, we put forward our proposals depicting the stations and sheer reasoning which is now passing through the last leg of consideration at the concerned cell and result is expected shortly.
Another nagging problem was about the pay fixation of SEA and A.E. We are glad to inform you that with the sustained persuasion, we have been able to eke out the necessary solution. Now almost all SEAs and A.E.s are having proper pay fixation.
We have come good to accommodate the excess SEAs (as a result of Zone bifurcation) in NE/Z with their choice posting . After long debate, and persuasion now the E.A.s. also can move to the earmarked stations at NE/Z. This may be considered to be a giant step towards the temporary solution of the bifurcation problem.

No sooner had this present zonal committee taken charge in 2003, August, a meeting was convened in September'03, at Kolkata to review and give a facelift to our organizational activities. There in presence of four State Secretaries an unanimous decision was taken for garnering more unity at the grass root level - instead of Organising zonal conventions, DDMC wise small unit meetings are more useful and encouraging where zonal and state committee. Readers will remain physically present as in such meetings the members of the smaller units like LPTs/ LRS will be able to present themselves which is very essential for the well being of our organization. To be honest, we really tried hard to achieve this target during last 2 years and already many DDMCs like Darjeeling, Bardhaman, Purnia, Motihari, Dhanbad(at Bokaro & Deogarh), Hazaribag(at Giridhi), Bhavanipatna,AIR/HPT/DDMC Jamshedpur, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Jaipur, Behrampur, Balassor, Dhenkanal(at-HPT Cuttack), AIR-Cuttack, AIR-Darbhanga, DDK/AIR-Ranchi, HPT_Katihar, HPT-Krishnanagar, AIR-Kurshiang, AIR-Siliguri, PGF-Jalpaiguri, DDK-Muzaffarpur,AIR/ DDK- Patna and DDK Bhubaneswar and many others have organized such meetings. All state secretaries are advised to organize the meetings at the earliest where it is yet to be done. In all these meetings, an overwhelming response from grass root level members was seen those who never got a chance to attend any zonal convention, attending these meetings, they have got sheer inspiration which we feel will really be telling on their future organizational activities.
The newly recruited E.A.s also have been passing through an uncertain phase - allocation of zone and draft. Seniority list of them is yet to be made. The zone has been in constant persuasion with the authority for its earliest solution and also for their transfer to choice posting who have already completed their tenure at their respective stations. A Fruitful solution is expected to come by shortly. Zone is also eagerly looking forward for the next hearing date, that is, 3rd Nov, 2005 of the court case for their pay scale.
The technicians court case seeking equivalent to lighting-Assistant is on the move and the its next hearing date is
When everyone is terrified of what the future may hold, owing to the sustained dilemma, which will hold the steering of our department, Government or Prasar Bharati, All the existing service associations B Ministry&I have unitedly chosen this point of time to form NFADE to combat the precarious situation evolved in recent times. The motto of which is
1. To ensure our pay and pension.
2. To let us know the service condition & recruitment rules under Prasar Bharati.
As the Chairman of NFADE, Mr.Robin Das Gupta, (who is happened to be the President of ARTEE also), with his Lieutenants have been persuing the necessary matters with the frontline leaders of our country and till now as informed the persuasion has been satisfactory.
So every unit of ARTEE in E/Z may take initiative to form NFADE in liaison with other service associations which indeed has a compelling necessity to safeguard our job in the present circumstances. God help those who help themselves. Now I do feel that it is the appropriate time when everyone of us should help thyself.

You must be aware that EAs of AIR & DDK Kolkata have filed a legal case at CAT (Kolkata) seeking A.C.P. for these who have completed 12 years of service in the same post without a single promotion since joining. This case appears to have a lot of merit. Already two hearings are over and 3rd hearing will be on 8.9.05. On his arrival to attend meetings in Kolkata the President of ARTEE (Mr. Robin Dasgupta) was detailed about the case and on hearing he assured to extend any possible help. Now, as a V/P(E/Z) I am going to forward the case to our Central ARTEE to take it over for its smooth running.
Another good news regarding SEA to AE promotion is that. Their DPC is likely to take place in the month of September and we hope that their promotion list will come up within the month.
For convenience of correspondence you may note the following address:

Mr. J.P.SENGUPTA
ECTP, PHASE - I
FLAT - A -1 / 4 , PAYMANTI CO - OPERATIVE HOUSING SOCIETY LTD.,
E.M BYPASS, KOLKATA - 700107.
Ph. No.-0 9433047600 / FAX:-- 033- 24427581 ( R)
E-MAIL : - send2jpsg@yahoo.com