Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): After trailing in vaccination target (first dose), Dhar district collector Dr Pankaj Jain recently ordered health department officials to ramp up vaccination.
Dr Jain directed officials and employees to start vaccination at 7 am and remain in field either till the vaccine doses were exhausted or 10pm.
Many employees and officials objected to the order. Many employees, refusing to be identified, raised their concerns and said that Dhar had different topographic and geographic condition in comparison to other districts and it was not possible for them to deliver after sunset.
District president of Multi Purpose Employees Union Sitaram Thackeray said, “We are ready to work and will do it from 9 am to 5pm.”
Thackeray said that geographical situation was different. There was dense forest and employees had to travel 10 to 20 kilometres to reach vaccination centres with vials.
“There is always fear of loot incident after sunset and if this happens to employee, who will be responsible for the same. At many places, there is no road or mobile network and during monsoon, rivers and nullahs get flooded, so how can one expect such long duty hours,” he said.
Similarly, district president of MP Grade III Employees Union, Kailash Chaudhary said that there was no opposition to vaccine, but publicity should be done in advance so that employee does not face problems. Revenue department employees should also cooperate so that vaccination campaign gets impetus in all blocks.
Notably, Dhar district so far managed to administer first dose to around 65.2% of total eligible people. Only 14% of eligible people have got the second jab. In number, 10,48,266 people have got first dose of vaccine out of total 16,07,574.
When contacted district collector Dr Pankaj Jain said that safety of employees would be ensured. Collector said that he would also remain in the field with employees and no injustice would be done to the employees as no work was possible without them. Even if there was some problem, then we would redress their grievance.
