Times
of India: Nagpur: Thursday, 20 May 2021.
The second wave of coronavirus is proving to be more dangerous for railway employees compared to the first one as not only the number of deaths but infection cases too have increased manifold.
According to information sought under the RTI by Vikas Gour, secretary of Swatantra Railway Bahujan Karmachari Union, in 2020 Covid-19 wave, total 503 employees had tested positive in Nagpur division of South East Central Railway (246) and Central Railway (257). The number of Covid deaths was low at one in SECR and 13 in Central Railway.
“In the first wave, there was no vaccine and facilities like RT-PCR testing and Covid beds with railway hospitals were not available, but still cases were less. In contrast, several facilities are in place and vaccine is also available, yet there is a huge rise in the number of deaths and infection cases,” said Gour.
nother reason for increase in cases during the second wave is the operation of passenger trains. Even though trains are being operated with restricted movement, many frontline staff like TTEs and station masters have been infected by the coronavirus.
Gour said, “As per All India Station Masters Association, 2,000 railway frontline workers (FLWs) and over 140 station masters have died due to Covid-19. Last year, there was complete lockdown and only freight trains operated.”
Citing all these factors, Gour has demanded expediting vaccination of railway employees. As per RTI, only 50% employees have been vaccinated. There are over 27,500 employees in both SECR and Central Railway divisions.
“However, only 16,400 employees in both the divisions have been vaccinated with the first dose. We are not talking about vaccinating family members of the employees. Despite being declared FLWs, vaccination of the staff is going at a snail’s pace. The RTI figures speak for themselves. Vaccination of staff should be done on war footing as Covid-19 has spread in rural areas alarmingly,” said Gour.
The CMS of Central Railway Hospital, Dr Champak Biswas, said, “Availability of doses is not an issue. Second dose is being delayed as the government has extended the gap between two doses.”
The second wave of coronavirus is proving to be more dangerous for railway employees compared to the first one as not only the number of deaths but infection cases too have increased manifold.
According to information sought under the RTI by Vikas Gour, secretary of Swatantra Railway Bahujan Karmachari Union, in 2020 Covid-19 wave, total 503 employees had tested positive in Nagpur division of South East Central Railway (246) and Central Railway (257). The number of Covid deaths was low at one in SECR and 13 in Central Railway.
“In the first wave, there was no vaccine and facilities like RT-PCR testing and Covid beds with railway hospitals were not available, but still cases were less. In contrast, several facilities are in place and vaccine is also available, yet there is a huge rise in the number of deaths and infection cases,” said Gour.
nother reason for increase in cases during the second wave is the operation of passenger trains. Even though trains are being operated with restricted movement, many frontline staff like TTEs and station masters have been infected by the coronavirus.
Gour said, “As per All India Station Masters Association, 2,000 railway frontline workers (FLWs) and over 140 station masters have died due to Covid-19. Last year, there was complete lockdown and only freight trains operated.”
Citing all these factors, Gour has demanded expediting vaccination of railway employees. As per RTI, only 50% employees have been vaccinated. There are over 27,500 employees in both SECR and Central Railway divisions.
“However, only 16,400 employees in both the divisions have been vaccinated with the first dose. We are not talking about vaccinating family members of the employees. Despite being declared FLWs, vaccination of the staff is going at a snail’s pace. The RTI figures speak for themselves. Vaccination of staff should be done on war footing as Covid-19 has spread in rural areas alarmingly,” said Gour.
The CMS of Central Railway Hospital, Dr Champak Biswas, said, “Availability of doses is not an issue. Second dose is being delayed as the government has extended the gap between two doses.”
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