The state level government offices opened after a month in the state capital on Thursday, just four days before the second phase of nationwide lockdown ends. Officers and other employees reached offices located in Vallabh Bhawan, Satpuda and Vindhyanchal Bhawan. For now only 30 per cent of the staff have been allowed to work from offices, while the rest have been asked to work from home. Since March 23, all government employees in the state are working from home. Only officers and employees associated with essential services are reaching the office.
Barring few most of the staffers reached offices wearing masks. Thermal screening was conducted at the entrance gates after which they were allowed to go inside the building, maintaining social distance in the whole process.
All offices located in the buildings were sanitized on Wednesday. Sanitizers were also available at the main entrance but several employees complained of lack of facilities inside their offices. Many staffers were excited to reach office after about a month but some were quite nervous. “We came to know through media that we have to learn to live with this virus before vaccination for it is made. Therefore we need to attend our offices. We expect full cooperation from the government as well in implementing standard operating procedures that includes sanitization etc,” said an employees working in the forest department.
“There were some offices in which guidelines of 30% attendance was not followed. But it is understood as it was the first day after extended closure. Rosters will now be prepared and it might take some time to make the things smooth,” said Laxmi Narayan Sharma, general secretary of Class Three Employees Federation.
Officials in-charge of making rosters should keep in mind that employees above the age of 55 and suffering from serious diseases should be allowed to work from home. Moreover, several offices didn’t keep soaps and sanitisers in place- which is a must to fight the deadly disease, he added.
Strict working guidelines
It was like working in the familiar office in quite unfamiliar conditions said some officials citing the strict working guidelines. All the offices have been instructed to follow the guidelines of the Centre, sanitise the office regularly and provide sanitiser and hand wash to the employees.
The guideline for work includes adherence to social distancing, wearing of masks, while on way to and from the office, all employees will undergo thermal scanning. Outsiders will be banned. Gutkha, tobacco and food will be banned in the offices.
At meetings, officers will sit at least 6 feet apart. Depending on the capacity in the lift, only up to four people were allowed.
