Secretariat staff await orders on alternate day duties

Staff working under constant fear as number of COVID positive cases is on the rise

Employees in the State Secretariat are anxiously waiting for the government to issue orders on rotation of duties allowing them to attend office on alternate days. They requested the government to permit only 50% employees to be physically present in the office on any given day. The employees made repeated representations to the government for arrangements within the Secretariat premises to vaccinate all employees over 45 years of age in view of the intensification of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the second phase. Employees are under constant fear these days as both their demands remained unmet so far. Close to 100 employees, including dozen and half security personnel, tested positive to COVID-19 in the recent days and two employees succumbed while undergoing treatment. According to staff union representatives, dozen employees of the GAD, six from Finance, five from Medical and Health Department were among those affected by the virus while an assistant secretary rank officer of the Finance Department and a record assistant of the Home Department succumbed to the virus in the recent days.