COVID warriors protest in Kolkata after losing jobs

A group of people who lost theirtemporary jobs in various hospitals after a decline in thenumber of new COVID-19 patients across West Bengal took out arally on Monday in Kolkata demanding permanent employment asper qualifications.They had got the jobs during the peak of the COVID-19.However, the state health department recently decided toterminate their contracts.After losing the employment, the COVID warriors wentin a procession to Swasthya Bhawan, the health departmentheadquarters in Salt Lake, to protest against the decision.The decision should be changed.


PTI | Kolkata | Updated: 26-01-2021 01:17 IST | Created: 26-01-2021 01:17 IST
COVID warriors protest in Kolkata after losing jobs
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A group of people who lost theirtemporary jobs in various hospitals after a decline in thenumber of new COVID-19 patients across West Bengal took out arally on Monday in Kolkata demanding permanent employment asper qualifications.

They had got the jobs during the peak of the COVID-19.

However, the state health department recently decided toterminate their contracts.

After losing the employment, the COVID warriors wentin a procession to Swasthya Bhawan, the health departmentheadquarters in Salt Lake, to protest against the decision.

''The decision should be changed. They should give uspermanent placements in government departments,'' 22-year-oldArab Sheikh who took part in the rally told PTI.

Sheikh, who hails from Murshidabad district, wasworking at the COVID-19 ward of Kolkata Medical College andHospital since July last year.

''We were enrolled initially for two months. Then ourcontracts were renewed for seven more months. And now they areterminating the contracts. What will we be doing now?'' saidanother protestor, Dipendranath Roy.

Shiekh, who had been working as a mason in Bangalore,tested positive for coronavirus on returning to the stateafter lockdown. After he recovered from the disease, he wasenrolled on a contractual basis to work in the hospital.

Several hospitals in the state have handed overrelease letters to the COVID warriors.

''Since the number of COVID-19 patients had decreasedconsiderably, therefore we no longer require your assistancein the treatment,'' a release letter issued by the KPC MedicalCollege and Hospital read.

Senior officials in the state health departmentdeclined to comment in this connection.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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