Odisha officers at the forefront of COVID-19 war seek incentives

BHUBANESWAR: As the rapid spread of coronavirus across the State has increased the risk of the administrative officials in charge of Covid-19 management, members of OAS and ORS associations have demanded that Government should announce incentives for them like other frontline workers.

Around 314 each block development officers (BDOs) and tehsildars, 59 sub-collectors, 30 each additional district magistrates and project director, district rural development agency and 12 collectors belonging to the OAS cadre are deployed in Covid-19 duty at different places in the State. Similarly, around 600 ORS officers are engaged in Covid management. “Individually, officers are feeling insecure as  they have their families, children and parents to look after,” a senior administrative officer engaged in Covid-19 duty told this paper.

The sense of insecurity among the officers has increased after the death of Gajapati ADM Karunakar Raika at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur on July 21. The 52-year-old Raika, was in-charge of Gajapati Covid-29 hospital and other Covid care centres in the district.

The officers visit the Covid-19 hotspots as part of their duty. They look after quarantine centres, Covid-19 care centres and also move around the containment zones at great risk to their lives.

They demanded that Government should announce a financial package for these officials like other frontline workers if they succumb to the deadly virus. “Government should announce some incentive so that other officers are not discouraged and there is a feeling that Government is behind us,” general secretary of OAS Association Jyoti Ranjan Mishra said. As head of the block administration and part of the district administration, the officers will have to implement Government policies, he said and added that individual officers should take more protection measures.

Sources maintained that Government has deployed all the 47 ORS officers who joined this year in Ganjam district in Covid-19 management work. Similarly, ORS officers have been posted at different municipalities in Ganjam district.

General secretary of ORS Association Hitansu Samal said Government should provide insurance coverage for all officers posted in Covid work. “Condolence and consolation will not do. Government should announce a package for the officers who work tirelessly for combating the virus,” he said.