TIRUCHY: A large number of employees in the Corporation head office and Golden Rock railway workshop fear for their safety as more coronavirus cases are being reported from these locations. While Railways is taking immediate steps to tackle the situation, the top brass of the civic body is apparently ignoring employee concerns.
Following the confirmation of four positive cases from the workshop till Thursday, Railways announced a three-day closure from July 17 to July 19. In contrast, the Corporation has taken a nonchalant approach though three employees have tested positive so far. However, sources said more Corporation employees could have been infected. "We are taking all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus," said Corporation Commissioner S Sivasubramaniam.
News started spreading on social media that an employee working in the Corporation Commissioner's office tested positive for the virus on Thursday. When asked, Sivasubramaniam clarified the employee was on leave and the test result came on Wednesday. Though the civic chief maintained the situation is under control, several employees believe the top brass is suppressing the facts. Sources said Corporation employees were even asked to provide their residential address while giving samples to hide any association with the civic body. Earlier, employees used to give the official address while giving samples. Many civic body employees alleged a cluster has started emerging from the Corporation head office,which has been dismissed by senior officials.
On the other hand, Railways took precautionary steps to prevent the spread of the virus in Golden Rock workshop. "The four employees work in different sections of the workshop, so we do not have a cluster situation here," a senior workshop official said. Meanwhile, the chief workshop manager has arranged for samples from employees to be collected at the railway hospital itself and sent to recognised private labs for testing. He came uu with this arrangement as government hospitals are taking samples only from symptomatic employees referred by the railway hospital.