Attendance circular irks RTC workers

HYDERABAD: An official circular sent out to Telangana State Road Transport Employees Corporation (TSRTC) about “100% attendance” has created confusion, as the number of buses plying on different routes have drastically come down, in view of the lockdown. 

Employees expressed the fear that the decision would only increase the scope of the virus spreading as most of the staff would remain at depots. Interestingly, the circular refers to GO 102 through which the State government imposed a lockdown. But the circular dated May 12, 2021 says that all the offices, garages, workshops of the corporation shall be fully functional with “100% attendance”.

It emphasises that attendance shall be marked as present for the entire lockdown period for the crew and other operating staff who report for duty as and when they are booked or called by the depot manager. Referring to GO 102, RTC unions say it mandates 33% strength in government offices. They point out that any violation of the GO goes against the Disaster Management Act, 2005. 

The RTC Telangana Mazdoor Union, on Thursday, represented the matter to TSRTC Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Sunil Sharma. “Last year too, officials summoned RTC workers unnecessarily without providing facilities. Most of the employees were infected by Covid-19 and incurred huge amounts in hospitals for treatment. Some have expired,” said M Thomas Reddy, general secretary of TMU. 
“There is no central cell to monitor the situation,” said E Ashok Kumar of NMU.