- (1.) This is a public interest litigation whereby the petitioner, on the basis of the report, which appeared in this Statesman on 12.12.1999, has moved this writ petition on behalf of the retired school teachers who are hungry for pensions for having served the State for last 30 to 40 years as school teachers. The person, whose photographs appeared in the Statesman, approached us by filing a writ petition and on that application, we had already directed the State Government that necessary order, in this matter, may be passed so that pensions can be released to the petitioners and the relevant cheques can be issued to them. Therefore, once again as a sample case, many more similar matters are hanging in fire in the State, where poor teachers are running from pillar to post after serving in this State for long times. This state of affairs, of course, is not a very happy news for us. It will be, more or less, the duty of the State to look into the matter and to take necessary steps so that the retired poor school teachers may get their pensions in time in accordance with law. No report has yet been filed by the State, despite number of times and opportunities were given to them. However, we think it proper that a pension cell be opened in the Directorate of School Education, West Bengal, where it should be the duty of that cell to monitor the payment of pensions to such poor teachers.
(2.) We hope that the Director of School Education, West Bengal, will earmark the job and then fix up responsibilities upon whom the petitioners can approach in order to get their pensions and ventilate their grievances. That will to some extent giving relief to such poor teachers who are not getting their pensions in time. Accordingly, we dispose of this public interest litigation with the above observations. Affidavit-in-opposition, filed by the State-respondents, be kept with the record Urgent xerox certified copies of this order, if applied for by the parties, be delivered to them.;