Mumbai: Despite BMC threat, 30 per cent civic staff stay absent

Civic doctors prepare to check residents of Jijamata Nagar. File pic/Ashish Raje

Despite the threat of termination from the BMC, a good 30 to 32 per cent civic employees stayed away from their COVID hospital duties on Monday. While the corporation plans to sack these employees, the union demanded leniency considering their age, trauma and travelling issues.

The attendance of the employees remained below 50 per cent at the civic hospitals and on COVID duty. After a video showing a KEM ward without a single nurse or ward boy went viral last week, the corporation had declared the termination clause. The diktat led to some hospitals experiencing a rise in staff numbers. "Around 38 per cent staff were present till last week and today an additional 30 per cent came to work," said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of Sion hospital and director of major hospitals.

"The percentage of absentee decreased by 50 per cent. It is a result of public transport as well as an easing of the lockdown. We have asked to collect data on the employees who are still absent. Only genuine cases will be considered," said Suresh Kakani, additional civc commissioner.

"No one had received the termination letter till evening," said a member of the employees- unions.

Unrest among employees
"Our union sent several letters to the administration to resolve employees- issues. Over 1,700 have tested positive and 55 have died due to COVID. There is unrest among staff. Besides, many stay outside the city and there isn-t any viable travel option. How can the administration threaten termination?" said Ramakant Bande, general secretary of The Municipal Union.

"The administration must inquire into reasons behind the absence. Maybe the staff are above 55 years of age and can-t travel due to non-availability of trains," said Sainath Rajadhyaksha, executive president of Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers Union.

55 workers succumb to COVID
The civic corporation announced R50 lakh compensation for staff who died on duty. The scheme will remain in effect up to September 30. The help will be initiated from the BMC fund and applies to the employees, contract workers, daily wagers not covered under Pradhan Mantri scheme.

So far, 1,712 employees reported positive of which 1,040 have been discharged.

"The corporation has cleared certification of ten employees and the process is going on for another. In case of no COVID test or false-negative report, the team of deans will take a final decision," said a civic officer.

Biometric attendance
The BMC-s plan to resume biometric attendance is on hold due to the Central Government-s guidelines. An official of the health department told mid-day that the idea is to keep sanitisers near the biometric machines.

But "there isn-t any process yet to restart biometric attendance," said Milin Sawant, joint municipal commissioner of the General Administration Department.

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