Covid warriors must receive their dues

The Somaiya Covid jumbo centre at Sion. File Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

A Vasai plumber, who set up a jumbo centre in Sion, has filed a case against a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation contractor for not paying around '7.5 lakh in dues.

The police registered a case against the contractor and project manager. The complainant claimed he had

taken huge risks while going about his duties as the pandemic was raging at the time.

He also stated that he took up the job amid a paucity of plumbers, since most had left for their villages, and the payments were to be cleared as work progressed. After receiving a couple of payments, the complainant said he stopped getting his dues. After visits to the contractor's office elicited nothing, he ultimately approached the police.

While this is just one case, it is important that every person who worked or undertook services during COVID times be paid the sum of money promised to them.

There must have been several centres across the city and various people were hired for different types of jobs. They all should have received their dues and their files must be closed.

We have seen all kinds of frontline COVID warriors - medical professionals, security and civic personnel - some of whom nfortunately perished in the line of duty. Yet those who set up these centres, set up infrastructure and makeshift hospitals in days, or at times, literally overnight to accommodate the severely ill are also warriors.

Not every single person who is cheated will file a police complaint. Yet, it leaves a very bitter taste in their mouths as well as cynicism and hesitancy to help in extreme emergencies. Above all, it is just a question of ethics. As we, hopefully, close the COVID chapter, we should consider the pandemic over when everybody has been paid in full.