Hyderabad: Secretariat under fresh Covid radar

Hyderabad: With the surge in positive cases of Covid-19 among employees working in State Secretariat and other offices, the government has decided to impose fresh guidelines to ensure that the attendance was cut by 50 per cent and barred the visitors from entering the Secretariat as well as other offices in the state.

It may be mentioned here that nearly 30 positive cases were reported in various departments in the Secretariat and 20 more positive cases were confirmed in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation head office in one week's time.

It may be mentioned here that the government has imposed restrictions at working places in the government offices in April first week and lifted them in May. Sensing the growing number of cases may trigger panic, the government has decided to re-impose curbs on the entry of officials and visitors again till July first week.

As per the new guidelines, only 50 per cent of the office subordinates, data entry operators and Class 4 employees have been asked to attend duty on alternate week. Similarly, only 50 per cent of the clerical staff/ circulating officers will attend duty on alternate days. Officers having separate chambers allotted to them will continue to attend duty regularly.

Section Officers, Assistant Section Officers, Clerical Staff, Office Subordinates, Data Entry Operators and other Class-IV employees who are not on duty on particular day have been asked to be present in the headquarters and not leave it under any circumstances. They may be called on short notice for any work in the office. The grade four employees and outsourcing staff were advised to attend duties every alternative week. 50 per cent of the total staff would only be present in every department on any given day.

The officials mainly Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers who were not on duty on the particular day were asked to be present in the headquarters and they will be called on short notice for any work in the office. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar instructed all secretariat staff to strictly follow physical distance and other Covid 19 safety norms during the stay in the offices.

No visitor will be permitted to enter the office unless there is authorization by the officer concerned and a prior appointment. A maximum of three persons, in addition to the lift operator, will be allowed in the lift at a time.

Regular disinfection of the office premises and vehicles will be ensured. All drivers will sit in Peshi concerned and not together near parking.

The staff has been directed to ensure compliance with physical distancing norms at all times, including lunch breaks. Staff has been directed to bring lunch from home and avoid sitting together during lunch hours.

Any officer or staff having vulnerabilities like pregnancy or comorbidities have been directed to stay at home duly taking appropriate leave like casual leave, earned leave, half pay leave based on medical certificate.