THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The absence of public transportation during lockdown has put Supplyco employees working in depots far away from their homes in a quandary. They have been asked to report for work at their original offices from Monday. Earlier, employees unable to travel were asked to work at Supplyco depots in their respective locations.
But a new order issued on May 16 directed all employees to return to their original offices or face disciplinary action. “It is going to be very difficult to arrange travel and accommodation during lockdown. The hostel where I stay is reluctant to let me in,” said a Supplyco employee. She is a native of Thiruvananthapuram but works at a depot in central Kerala.
Having reached home a day before the lockdown announcement, she was involved in the distribution of provision kits at a depot nearby. But the quarantine norms for inter-district travel prevented Supplyco from pressing its workers. However, the government relaxed the norms for inter-district travel recently. Supplyco is in the list of essential services and employees are exempted from undergoing quarantine period even if they travel between districts. Supplyco chairman and managing director P M Ali Asgar Pasha could not be reached for comments.