Bhopal: A day after Karwa Chauth, a number of women employees at the health directorate failed to mark their ‘presence’ at office on Monday for the simple reasons: they had hinna (mehndi) on their palms. The biometric machines, which were installed just a couple of days ago, could not identify the thumb impressions of the women as their hands were covered with mehndi designs. As the device did not register their presence, they were reportedly marked absent even when they were on duty throughout the day.
The ladies, while celebrating Karwa Chauth, had got mehndi designs on their palms as it signifies bond of marriage. Employees union general secretary Laxminarain Sharma said, “ Bio-metric machines could not identify the thumb impression of most of women employees as they had Mehndi on their hands. So despite them being present, they were marked absent.”
“Now it will take around 10 days for henna to fade. The presence of women employees will not be registered till then,” he questioned. Sharma said that this has led to resentment among women employees who feels that there should be an alternative way for mark attendance as there are many occasions like marriage festivals when the women folk apply mehndi.
