HAT guides affected during Covid demand hike in salaries

LUCKNOW: Hussainabad and Allied Trust (HAT) guides, who manage historical Nawabi-era monuments in the state capital, are all set to approach the state government, demanding hike in their salaries, which they claim is even less than prescribed minimum wage limit.

Besides, they also plan to urge the government to help them financially and include them into the list of professionals who got affected during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic was tough for our profession. The prolonged closure of the heritage structures, lockdown and other government’s restrictions affected us badly. And what the trust pays us, is too little. In such a situation, our survival is getting tough with each passing day,” said Athar Hussain, one of the oldest guides who completed 20 years in service.

According to Hussain, at present the guides get just Rs 4,500 a month that is around Rs 150 a day, which is even lower than the prescribed minimum wage limit in the state.

Hussain (50), who has a family of nine, including his six daughters, one son and wife, said, “In such a salary they are forced to live in the state of penury. Even the daily wage workers get more than us. In such an amount it’s next to impossible to lead a normal life.”

The guides said that until 2017 they were getting a salary of around Rs 6000. But all of a sudden it was slashed to Rs 4500 by the trust without mentioning any valid reason behind the move.

At present, there are 84 guides, fourth class employees who are appointed at the post of ‘sipahis’ on the rolls of the trust, which was formed by Muhammad Ali Shah, the third King of Awadh in 1839.

District magistrate is the custodian of the trust and additional district magistrate (ADM) west is the secretary of the trust.

Officials associated with the trust too admitted that the fact that guides, appointed on the post of ‘sipahis’ got a meager pay. And the pandemic situation had further added to their woes. They said in the past, they had prepared several proposals and had given to the DM, but to no avail.

Vishwabhushan Mishra, additional district magistrate, (Trans-Gomti) and in-charge of the trust said that the matter of salary hike was under consideration and appropriate steps would be initiated regarding this.

What the trust pays us, is too little. In such a situation, our survival is getting tough with each passing day ATHAR HUSSAIN, a guide