HYDERABAD: Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) and few other companies which had shut their offices in Building No 20 of Raheja Mindspace IT Park in Hyderabad after the Coronavirus scare, resumed operations on Friday. Intensive cleaning and sanitisation operations were taken up beforehand. However, according to sources attendance remained low, with many opting for work from home.
On March 3, after a DSM employee was found to have borderline Coronavirus symptoms, DSM had shut its premises in Building No. 20 of Raheja Mindspace IT Park and directed employees to work from home. Following that, extensive cleaning operations were undertaken in a bid to prevent apparent “contamination” -- not just in DSM but also other offices in Building 20.
Cognizant too, which has a office in Building 20, had shut its office for the day on Thursday. On Friday, as directed by the State government earlier, employees of Cognizant and many companies stationed in Building 20, have started reporting for work. Speaking with Express, Jayesh Ranjan Principal Secrerary IT and Industries, said, “From 11 am onwards Cognizant has started functioning. They have done their own cleaning as prescribed by their corporate HQ.”
A Cognizant spokesperson said, “Cognizant’s office in Building 20 of Raheja Mindspace in Hyderabad is operational today (Friday). Only this one office had been vacated on March 4 in the interest of caution after another company with office in Building 20 reported a case of Coronavirus to its employees. All other offices of Cognizant in Hyderabad have continued to function as usual.”
However, some companies in Building No 20 provided their employees the option to work from home for Friday, Express has learnt. Despite offices being open, attendance remained thin throughout the day, an employee in a company stationed in the building said, indicating that some panic among IT employees continues. On Thursday, only employees of OMICS in Building No. 20 had reported for work, while the rest were working from home.
Staffers asked to work on weekend
A few companies whose operations were disturbed on March 3 and 4 due to the scare regarding Coronavirus, have asked its employees to report to work on Saturday and Sunday to make up for the lag. Lunch, which is supplied by caterers, has also not been coming in since that day, citing safety concerns.
Spread rumours and face cases, warns Eatala
Health Minister Eatala Rajender on Friday said that criminal cases will be booked against those spreading rumours about Coronavirus on social media. He also stated that a doctor who had been spreading false information on Covid 19, saying all those infected would die, would be booked. Eatala said that like Swine Flu, COVID-19 would also be brought under control. The virus would not be able to thrive and spread in the hot summer of TS, he asserted.