Weeks ahead of the Budget Session to commence, close to 400 people working in Parliament House have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past four days prompting authorities to impose restrictions on attendance on officials and staff.
Sources said 200 from Lok Sabha Secretariat, 65 from Rajya Sabha Secretariat and 133 of allied services have tested positive for the virus infection between January 4 and 8.
Following this, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats have reimposed restrictions on attendance of officials and staff. Sources said tests were conducted in Parliament House complex on January 6 and 7.
According to the latest directions, only 50% of officials and staff in both the Secretariats below the rank of Under Secretary/Executive officers are required to attend office till the end of this month.
In Rajya Sabha Secretariat, sources said, this constitutes about 65% of the total employees.
Those with disabilities and pregnant women are exempted from attending office. Starting and closing timings of the Secretariats are staggered to avoid crowding while all official meetings will be held virtually.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu reviewed the situation with Secretary General PC Modi and Advisor Dr PPL Ramacharyulu following the surge in cases in Parliament House complex.
Sources said Naidu asked them to take necessary measures to contain the spread of virus among the Secretariat officials and staff ahead of the Budget session which is to begin towards the end of this month.
Naidu also directed that all the around 1,300 officials and staff in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat be tested for Covid-19. The recovery of those infected will be closely monitored and assisted in hospitalisation and treatment if needed.
According to circulars in the first week of January issued by Lok Sabha Secretariat, 50% of officers below the level of Under Secretary and equivalent should attend office by rotation. The working hours may be staggered between 10:00 am to 10:30 am with corresponding office exit timings to avoid rush in commuting as also in elevators and corridors, it said.
"In view of the alarming spike number of cases, all the Officers/Staff attending office are again advised to exercise extreme caution and to scrupulously follow the Covid-19 appropriate behaviour/protocols as brought out inter-a/ia vide Circular No. 32951 dated 4th January,2022, but not restricted to the same, in their own interest and for common greater good," the circular issued on January 7 said.
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