PUDUCHERRY/THOOTHUKUDI: In a shocking development, a whopping 54 health workers who stayed away from duty because they do not have sufficient protective gear, have been terminated from service in Puducherry. Nearly half the health workers employed at the Thoothukudi medical college hospital also stayed away from work citing the same reason. The alleged lack of safety equipment for health workers has added to the woes of COVID-19.

In Puducherry, 54 employees of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI) were terminated from service for ‘dereliction of duty’ by the District Magistrate for taking leave on April 2. The order said the persons were being removed from service in the larger interest of public, and for smooth functioning of the hospital. All of them were exclusively attending to COVID-19 patients.

All of them, sources say, are unskilled or semiskilled workers engaged on contract basis for paltry monthly wages ranging between Rs 3,500 and Rs 6,500. The workers who did not turn up on Friday at the Thoothukudi GH were also contractual staff. They said they stayed away as there weren’t adequate safety gears at the hospital.

While the required strength for a morning shift is 120 people, only 45 reported to duty on Friday. Most of them are engaged in cleaning bathrooms, toilets, and segregating the medical waste. “The contractor has not provided us with face masks, gloves, or sanitiser. We need to buy our own stuff, but even that is impossible now due to shortage of stock,” said one worker. “Our employer threatened to fire us if we do not report to job, but there’s not way we are going in there without adequate safety measures.”

Ministerial staff ‘mass bunk’

Showcause notices have been issued to 53 ministerial staff at the office of the Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner for bunking work in recent days without prior permission or notice. “Some of the staff did not report to work from March 23, even before the state government announced the lockdown,” said a police source.All the 53 staff have been ordered to appear before the Deputy Commissioner concerned for an explanation.

Similarly, in another order issued on behalf of the Commissioner, it has been highlighted that some ministerial staff who should be part of the first batch to report to office from March 30 to April 5 have been irregular to work.They have been advised to report to work on all days to avoid departmental action.