Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 8: The government plans to utilise the administrative machinery to the fullest to manage the coronavirus situation. It has issued an order to involve lecturers, geologists, range forest officers, engineers etc in different activities with immediate effect.

Finding of the contacts is of prime importance to regulate the spread of infection. This work needs a lot of human resources. Therefore, the government, in the exercise of powers vested as per the Disaster Management Act 2005, has decided to use services of employees working in other departments for this work. Chief secretary of the state government, T M Vijay Bhaskar, said in an order that government employees from different departments falling under group A, B and C have been drawn for the work of detection of coronavirus contacts.

As per the order, priority has been given to Bengaluru city and surrounding places in the first phase. A list of 1,246 government employees from different departments has been drawn. Senior IAS officer Manjula will lead the contact detection team. The 1,246 employees have been asked to report for duty immediately. They have been asked to discharge the duty to find coronavirus contact detection work in addition to general duties prescribed by the respective departments.

The employees have been warned that if they display insubordination and do not obey the orders, they will be punished as per law. As per rules, fine and imprisonment can be imposed. In case those who have been entrusted with this job have some more important responsibility on hand, they can avail of exemption if they bring written permission from their higher officers. Otherwise, they have to get involved with the task without exception.

For the present, employees of animal husbandry, fisheries, agriculture, horticulture, cooperation, mines and geology and the department of collegiate education have been involved with this work.