PTI

Kolkata, Jun 21: In the age when prices of essential commodities are touching sky high, a primary school teacher in West Bengal is getting a monthly salary of just Rs 21.75.

Pranab Kumar Sengupta has been drawing the amount as salary since 1973.

Despite winning several times in court against the primary school council of the West Bengal government's education department, Sengupta has not been able to get his proper salary as per the present pay scale.

The latest order in his favour from the high court came yesterday, but Sengupta was sceptical after the fate of earlier orders.

A division bench comprising Justice Ashim Banerjee and Justice Tapas Giri rejected an appeal by the North 24 Parganas district primary school council against a contempt petition filed by the teacher against the council for not paying his dues.

Sengupta joined as an assistant teacher on March 21, 1973 at Basak Bagan Primary School after appointment by the managing committee.

Between 1975 and 1991, various representations were made before the state authorities for approval of Sengupta's service, but nothing happened.

In 1993, Sengupta moved the Calcutta High Court seeking regularisation of his service as well as for other consequential benefits.

In April 1994, the writ petition was disposed of with the court directing the school education department of West Bengal to grant approval of appointment to Sengupta from the date of his appointment forthwith, preferably within one month from the date of communication of the order as also to release the consequential benefits.