No. P3NFPE-Odisha/12 - 03/2020
Dated at Bhubaneswar the 24th
March, 2020
To
Sj. Subash Chandra Barmma, IPoS
Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle
Bhubaneswar – 751 001
Sub:- Appeal for complete closure of Post and RMS
offices to contain spread of Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19)
Ref.- C O letter No. ML/Misc-2017, dated 23.03.2020
Respected
Sir,
Inviting
a kind reference to this Circle Union letter dated
16.03.2020, 19.03.2020 and 22.03.2020 conveying various suggestions / issues in
connection with preventive measures to be taken for containing spread of
COVID-19, we do regret to intimate that in spite of our repeated requests, we
were not properly responded till date though all the ‘B’ and ‘C’ class offices
have been ordered to be closed with suspension of door delivery by postmen
staff vide C O letter under reference.
It is regretted that the above order of the
Circle Office have been implemented differently by different Divisional heads
as per their sweet will violating the spirit of the letter. Illustratively,
SSPOs, Cuttack City has created some link offices against the post offices,
which were ordered to be closed. There is no instruction in the C O letter
under reference to act as such.
In addition we noticed the following deficiencies
in the C O letter under reference.
1. The B Os, initially ordered
to be closed in toto, were subsequently ordered to be kept open. This will
affect the work of the concerned Account offices when opened on restoration of
normalcy. The SPMs will be over burdened which will be a punishment to them
after normalcy.
2. No instruction is seen to
be issued in favour of the officials of the post offices ordered to
be closed which has created strong resentment amongst the staff
members of other offices ordered to remain functional. The order is not
impartial.
3. No instructions are seen to
be issued for MPCM and S B transactions. When Railways, Road Transports,
Airlines etc have been completely suspended, booking of articles without
transmission is meaningless.
While the restrictions imposed by the Govt. of
Odisha during this lockdown period till 29.03.2020 is becoming harder day by
day with every possibility to be extended further on one hand, the police on
duty on the roads are not allowing our
employees on the other for coming to office showing the identity card
even. In addition, they are also not
granting permission in favour of the employees ordered to work in various post
offices in skeletal mode as instructed vide C O letter under reference.
Illustrative, as Postmaster Sahidnagar MDG, we have prepared a duty chart of
employees till 29.03.2020 and requested the Officer-on-Duty, Sahidnagar Police
Station for granting permission to the officials so ordered. But they
straightway refused to accept the letter. As a result, the situation is being
confused creating lots of embarrassment amongst the operative staff members.
In addition, till date no uniform circular was
issued either by Circle Office or by any Divisional Head baring one or two for
supplying / purchasing adequate preventive materials like mask, sanitizer,
glove, hand-wash etc. to post offices. We are extremely sorry to intimate that
while the officials of the Post Offices are working under every apprehension to
be contaminated at anytime by anybody visiting the post offices, the
administration does not think it proper to respond to the union on the nature
of action taken so far against the issues raised by us. It is highly
unappreciable and regretted.
The partial closure of post
offices in Odisha Circle is meaningless. It is needless to intimate that as
many as 25000 postal employees working in 8172 post offices across the state of
Odisha (Except 220 ‘B’ and ‘C’ class post offices closed in urban / sub-urban
areas) do interact with hundreds of customers daily in each post office at the counters
and handle innumerable of mails coming from various sources including foreign
mails both in Post and RMS Offices in a hazardous condition and now in the
present scenario they are quite vulnerable to the Novel Corona Virus. This may
be the condition of 5 lakh postal employees and workers working in 1.55 lakh
post offices across the country interacting with lakhs of customers and
handling crores of domestic, national and international mails with dust and
unknown viruses. As a result, these offices, if not locked down may become the
maternity home for COVID-19 and the sincere efforts taken to contain the spread
of COVID-19 both by the Govt. of Odisha and Central Govt. may be futile.
As per latest updates till writing of this
letter, Corona
virus has infected more than 3,83,000 people and killed more than 16,585 across
the world. Positive cases in India have surged to 512 with 10
death cases. The virus is spreading actively. When the whole nation is united
to fight against the deadly virus, we should not help the spread of corona
virus by opening the post offices.
Therefore, before the Post and
RMS Offices become the maternity home for COVID-19, we would like to demand for
their complete closure in the interest of the nation, public and the employees
till restoration of normalcy or otherwise without any further delay.
Expecting your kind immediate
action to contain the spread of COVID-19.
With regards.
Yours faithfully,
(Bruhaspati Samal)
Circle Secretary &
Chairman, NFPE, Odisha State CoC
All the Post Offices may kindly be closed immediately.
ReplyDelete