TAIPA wants telecom infra personnel in priority list for COVID-19 vaccine

Telecom infrastructure providers' body TAIPA has approached the government seeking inclusion of personnel working in the telecom infrastructure segment under the frontline workers category for COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) -- which represents companies like Indus Towers, ATC and Sterlite Technologies -- there are about 45,000 frontline workers in the segment who have played a very important role during the pandemic in supporting round-the-clock digital connectivity across the country.

In a letter to Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash, TAIPA Director General T R Dua said that the frontline workforce of telecom infrastructure providers continues to provide services on a regular basis despite grave risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

''Hence, it is essential that they are categorised under the frontline workers category so that they are given priority for administering the COVID-19 prevention vaccine,'' Dua said in the letter.