AFK starts to evict illegal occupants

Over the past few days,AFK has got 15 apartments evicted. Nearly 500-600 quarters are believed to have been sublet. “Subletting is illegal. There are cases that have come to our notice while others are being enquired into. We have issued notices and many employees have been evicted,” said General Manager,AFK,B N Singh.

Singh added among those who had sublet the quarters,the number of allied defence establishment employees were much higher than AFK counterparts. “We will chargesheet our employees for subletting the property and initiate action,” Singh said.

He added disciplinary action many include stopping of increments. “The action will vary from case to case,” he said.

“We have to accommodate 800 new recruits. So far,we have been able to take in only 50,” he added. Defence employees given eviction notices had recently complained to Union Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju through BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar and BJP leader Vikas Matkari. They had met Raju in New Delhi recently.

The staff given eviction notice had also said the Ministry could alternatively repair damaged quarters for the new recruits. Singh said,“Some 40-50 quarters are damaged,are irreparable and unlivable.”

He,however,added that the eviction notices had not been withdrawn as they had not received any instruction from the Ministry not to go ahead. Range Hill resident Rajendar Velhe,who also had been given notice,said,“The employees are not ready to vacate. The quarters have been sublet to even non-defence employees and they should be vacated first.”