Floral tributes paid to telegram services

A day after the Centre discontinued the 163-year old telegram service, floral tributes were today paid to the harbinger of good and bad news by activists of an outfit here, who demanded its continuance.
Activists of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) gathered near the Harbour Telegraph Office here and placed flower bouquets in front of the office to mark the demise service.
"We gathered in front of the telegraph office and offered floral tributes. While many Central govt departments are running in loss, why did they stop a service that is an official record for many government agencies and also an emergency communication line for thousands of people in villages," Janardhanan, North Chennai District Secretary of TDPK told PTI.

Over 30 activists, who took part in the protest, were detained by police and later let off, he said.
Meanwhile, a senior official of BSNL said the workforce hitherto involved in telegraph services would be absorbed into other sections of state-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).
"Most of the employees, who have been working with the telegraph systems, have already been absorbed into other sectios of BSNL. The rest would be absorbed depending on their designation," the official said.

The only cadre without a proper transfer place were the Telegraph Office Assistants, but they too would be taken into the clerical section, the official said.

For its part, telegraph's twin department of Posts is organising a month-long exhibition on 'Telegrams' at the Philatelic Exhibition Hall at its Anna Road Head Post Office here starting today.
Telegrams issued by the East India Company and other telecom service providers have been kept on display.