Now, workers at Bajaj Auto are demanding temporary shutdown of its plant after 250 employees tested positive for COVID-19, its union told Reuters.
After over three months of lockdown, the government had relaxed restrictions across the country leading to companies opening their operations.
Bajaj Auto's Aurangabad factory, as well, started its operations following the directives of the Centre. But to its bad luck several employees tested positive for the virus and now the toll has reached 250. Two even succumbed to the virus.
What's worse, the company sent a letter to the employees warning them that those who turn up at work will not be paid.
"People are scared to come to work. Some are still coming but some are taking leave," said Thengade Bajirao, president of the Bajaj Auto Workers' Union told Reuters.
The auto maker had earlier said that after the first coronavirus case was reported on June 6, it had taken all necessary measures as per the protocol and that all incidents were reported to the appropriate authorities.
The local administration, earlier, also said two employees died and 140 have been infected due to coronavirus and subsequently the plant will be shut for two days.
Bajaj Auto's CHRO Ravi Kyran Ramasamy said that there are more than 8,100 employees and contractors employed at the Waluj plant.
However, even after reporting 140 cases, the work in the plant did not stop as the company wanted to learn to "live with the virus."
The union has now asked the company to temporarily close the plant in order to break the cycle of the virus. "We requested the company to temporarily close the plant for 10-15 days to break the cycle but they said there is no point as people will continue to gather for social events outside of work," Bajirao says.
He added that for every employee testing COVID-19 positive, four people working closely with him have to be quarantined. This leads to an impact on the productivilty as well.
With a spike of 6,364 cases, Maharashtra remained the worst pandemic hit state in the country. The state has a total of 1,92,990 cases, including 8,376 deaths.
India on Saturday recorded the highest single-day spike of 22,771 cases, pushing the total tally to 6,48,315, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
