BELAGAVI: An NWKRTC bus driver, who was suffering from fever but allegedly denied leave, had a harrowing time on Sunday night. He was driving from Bengaluru to Belagavi and as his condition deteriorated, he drove the bus straight to the government hospital in Hirebagewadi. He got himself admitted to the hospital to avail treatment immediately and parked the bus having many passengers outside.
The driver, Subhash Siddappa Badakannavar, a resident of Mudalagi village, Gokak taluk, working at Belagavi depot number 1, was feeling dizzy when he decided to drive the bus after he was deprived of leave which he allegedly wanted to avail. He managed to drive the bus despite having the fever but started feeling unwell when he was about to reach Hirebagewadi. After it became tougher for him to drive, he decided to get admitted to the government hospital in Hirebagewadi.
The passengers were shocked to know about the driver’s dilemma. After he took treatment at Hirebagewadi, the passengers requested him to drive the bus to Belagavi which was merely 20 km away and promised to admit him in Belagavi civil hospital. On the passengers’ request, the driver mustered courage to drop all of them to Belagavi and took to the wheels.
Soon on his arrival to Belagavi, a Belagavi-based journalist who was travelling in the same bus took him to civil hospital and got him admitted there. It came to light that the driver has been suffering from cold and fever for the past many days but his higher officials allegedly denied him leave. Several incidents of NWKRTC employees being denied leave despite having health issues have come to light in recent times.
Recently, a bus driver, a native of Santibastwad village, who was not given sick leave and made to work died on duty. While a Kednur-based driver had committed suicide for alleged harassment by higher officials recently. Nitin Gadade, manager, Depot 1, NWKRTC, said: “There is an online system for employees to apply for leaves. He had not applied for any leave on the portal. He has now been granted leave and his health condition is getting better.”