Risk & Hardship Allowance to Radiographers working in Railway Hospitals – NFIR

No.I/5(g)/Part VI

Dated: 30/03/2019

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Payment of Risk and Hardship Allowance to Radiographers working in Railway Hospitals-reg.

Ref: (i) NFIR’s PNM Item No. 53/2018.
(ii) NFIR’s letter No I/5(g)/Part V dated 22/06/2018.
(iii) NFIR’s letter No. I/5(g)/Part VI dated 07/09/2018.
(iv) Railway Board’s letter No. PC-VII/2018/R-U/17 dated 13/11/2018 addressed to GS/NFIR.

The Railway Board’s reply vide letter dated 13/112018, regretting NFIR’s proposal for payment of Risk and Hardship Allowance to Radiographers working in Railway Hospitals (NFIR’s PNM Agenda Item No. 53/2018), stating that neither the expert body not the 7th CPC recommended and that no Risk and Hardship Allowance is paid to Radiographers working in the Radiology Departments of Central Government, is not convincing, therefore, not acceptable to the Federation. Federation places below, following facts for re-consideration of NFIR’s demand:-

• Railway Board should look into the aspect, as to how the protective/special clothing and accessories including Apron to the Radiographers can provide 100% safety from health hazards to the Radiographers who are always exposed to Radiation. Railway Board also failed to recognize the fact that Radiographers during working in the Radiology Departments are provided with TLD Chest Badges to be used for monitoring the quantum of Radiation absorbed by each individual Radiographer.

• The so-called aprons provided to Radiographers do not cover whole body of the Radiographers, facing Radiation and many sensitive body parts like upper extremities, part of lower limb, highly sensitive eyes while neck remains open and always exposed to Radiation. The lead apron provided to these staff can in no way protect the whole body from radiation.

• Due to excessive exposure to Radiation, there have been cases where Radiographers of Railway Hospitals have faced excessive Radiation, consequently died prematurely due to Cancer (Arun Kumar Mishra, Chief Radiographer, Central Railway, Divisional Hospital, Pune — as on example). There have also been many cases of serving Radiographers suffering with Cancer due to excessive exposure to Radiation (one Chief Radiographer working on South Central Railway Central Hospital, Lallaguda, second case – Sandeep Kumar Chief Radiographer, Northern Railway, Divisional Hospital Delhi and third case – Pramod Kaushik Chief Radiographer working at RDSO, Lucknow).

considering the above points, Federation re-iterates its request to the Railway Board to peruse para 8.10.65 of 7th CPC Report recommending addition of any deserving category to the Risk and Hardship Matrix for allowing Risk and Hardship Allowance at Rs.17300/- p.m. to the Radiographers in Railways.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to kindly review the matter afresh and grant Risk & Hardship Allowance as suggested above to the Radiographers in Railway.

A copy of the instructions issued may be endorsed to the Federation.

The subject being PNM Item, will be discussed in the ensuring PNM meeting to be held with the Railway Board on 25th/26th April,2019.

Yours faithfully,

(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

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