COVID-19: Staff getting back to work at UP govt offices

Lucknow, May 4 () A number of staff members were back to work at various government offices here on Monday, registering "normal" to thin attendance according to officials.

"The District Collectorate of Lucknow witnessed normal attendance of employees on Monday with strict adherence to norms of social distancing," District Magistrate of Lucknow Abhishek Prakash told .

He also said, "Stand alone private offices, which are not COVID-19 hotspots in Lucknow will be allowed to re-open on Tuesday. However, they have to ensure that social distancing is strictly complied with and there is proper arrangement for sanitisers. There are around 13 hotspots in the state capital."

A senior UP government official said the departments which come under the ambit of essential services are functioning with "normal" attendance, while the attendance was less in rest of the departments.

Private shops, educational institutes, business establishments, private offices, malls, shops, and public transport remained closed on Monday, officials said.

According to the UP government, the services declared essential include medical, health and family welfare, medical education, home, intelligence/prison administration, police, armed forces and paramilitary forces, personnel department, district administration, energy, urban development, food and civil supplies, disaster relief, fire services, civil defence, information, emergency services, telephone, internet, network services and IT-enabled services.

Postal services, banks, ATMs, insurance companies, e-commerce, media, petrol pumps, LPG and oil agencies, medicine shops, medical equipment shops and medicine producing units, agriculture production and animal fodder too have been classified as essential services.

In Prayagraj, the government's printing press department is working with 30 per cent staff and instructions have been issued to ensure that social distancing is strictly maintained.

Administration officer Rajshri Basak said, "The office re-opened on Monday. On normal days, there are 28 staff members who work in my department. But, today there were only four personnel working in the department. The office will work with 30 per cent staff. Strict instructions have been issued to ensure that social distancing at the work place is followed, and sanitisers are used as a precautionary measure."

Partial attendance of employees was seen in Banda and Shahjahanpur, while in Amethi, only officials are coming to the collectorate. NAV RDMRDM