Mumbai: After battling against all odds due to kabaddi injury during his in-house tournament organised by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport and Undertaking (BEST) in 2016, Mahesh Bagkar, BEST driver, is now optimistic of getting his lost job back.
Mahesh, who had joined the BEST in December 2006 as a driver, was all happier than thou for qualifying for the government job. Little did he realise that participating in the BEST organised kabaddi tournament in 2013 would prove fatal as he not only met with a grave accident during the match, but was bed-ridden since he had broken his left leg.
After a gap of almost one and a half years, skipping his job for need of operations and frequent hospital visits, the BEST Undertaking decided to end his services in 2016. The termination letter from BEST in 2016, was a shocker for Mahesh, who was a sole bread-earner in his family who has a mother, wife and son as dependants.
Mahesh Bagkar, resided at Worli Koliwada with his wife, son and mother, but after losing his job he was helpless as family’s responsibility was all on his shoulders. For the treatment of his old mother, and to maintain the daily expenses like child’s education, etc, Mahesh had to sell off his house.
He also worked as a watchman to earn his daily bread and butter for his family for a remuneration of Rs 10,000. Currently, he is jobless as his recuperating injured leg could not withstand for 8-10 hours daily duty as a watchman. Mahesh requested the BEST administration that he is fit now and willing to work again if given an opportunity. As of now, BEST has many automated buses also without clutch, which can help Mahesh drive again.
He is also ready for any job like sweeper, liftman, watchman or office boy in the organisation that can keep him stable and bread-earner. “I was playing for the BEST and was not aware if any such problem occurs while on duty representing the BEST Undertaking, they would terminate my services.
Had I known about it, I would have surely not particiapted in the tournament. I am going through really bad time. I had to sell my house for my mother’s and mine treatment. I just want to get a decent job so that I can fulfill the needs of my family”, said Mahesh, who prays to get back his BEST job.
“It was indeed bad what Mahesh had to undergo all these years after losing his job. In the last committee meeting the issue was raised by Rajesh Kusale, then a committee member. Entire committee was in Mahesh’s favour of reinstating him. Even the GM was optimistic on knowing about Mahesh’s health condition.
I will surely take up the issue with the GM and discuss the matter in the forthcoming meeting hoping for a a positive result. We will also try to amend provisions for our employees if any such incident takes place in the near future,” said Anil Patankar, BEST Chairman.
