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Punjab: Govt disengages 300 lab technicians roped-in for Covid-19 testing
What has puzzled these employees is that the state government had assured them for their suitable adjustments in the medical colleges after load of Covid-19 tests had decreased.
Punjab Government has decided to shunt-out around 300-staff working as laboratory technicians who were roped-in to conduct Covid-19 tests working from the past few months on outsourcing basis.
According to a letter by Director Medical Education and Research to Director Principals of the medical colleges in which the VRDL laboratories are functional, a private company through which these employees have been hired, have been asked to relieve all the employees.
Hindustan Times has in its possession a letter received by Director Principal, Government Medical College Patiala which is dated October 31.
What has puzzled these employees is that the state government had assured them for their suitable adjustments in the medical colleges after load of Covid-19 tests had decreased to minimum. However, on Tuesday, these employees were conveyed not to attend the office and were relieved through a WhatsApp message on the internal groups by the officials of the medical colleges citing the official letters. Most of these employees had joined in 2020 after a sudden demand to lab technicians and other staff was felt following rising cases of Covid-19.
On June 22, this year, in order to adjust these employees in the medical colleges on contract basis, Baba Farid University of Life Sciences, had even prepared a merit list of these employees. This merit list was determined following date of joining at present Covid lab, date of birth and total experience of at relevant post. A merit list was prepared and few employees were even asked their preference of joining.
“We have worked round the clock for nearly two and half years without availing even a single off. We all served when entire humanity wanted us to do. I left my two and half year-old baby to perform this duty. We were assured by the government of suitable adjustment also. But suddenly we have been asked not to attend duty anymore,” said Ravinder Kaur, a lab technician.
Director, Medical Education and Research, Dr Avnish Kumar, denied issuing orders to Director Principals about ending services of these employees. “These labs are being run by the health department. You can well ask nodal officer for Covid-19,” he said.
Nodal officer, Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, also denied having any information about this letter about terminating services of the employees.
