Kin of Chamarajanagar Covid victims up ante over unmet job promise

Mysuru: Chamarajanagar District Hospital was the site of one of the worst tragedies in the state during the Covid pandemic, when 32 people lost their lives on May 2, 2021, due to shortage of medical oxygen.

Four years later, women who lost their husbands and many others are still waiting for suitable government jobs that had been promised by the Congress.

A lot of them had hoped that the special Cabinet meeting held at MM Hills on April 24 would discuss their plight. But their hopes were dashed. Fuming at the government's attitude, the families of victims have now warned of ending their lives and returning the Rs 1 lakh compensation, which was awarded to them in June 2021 by Congress leader D K Shivakumar, in protest.

"I have done PU and was given an outsourced job at Yelandur taluk office. Later, they asked me to work as a 'D' group employee in CIMS," said 26-year-old Nagarathna, who lost her husband in the tragedy.

Nagarathna said she had decided to return the Rs 1 lakh compensation if a favourable decision is not taken soon. "It is not difficult for the government, which has fulfilled various guarantee schemes," she noted.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Gundlupet as part of his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on October 1, 2022, had assured government jobs to family members of victims if the party was voted to power. The Congress came to power eight months after Rahul’s visit. But the promise remained just that, a promise.

In sheer desperation, families of victims even wrote to the President of India.

In 2023, two years after the tragedy, they staged protests, which caught the attention of district in-charge minister K Venkatesh. Subsequently, the district administration held a meeting and provided them temporary jobs at government offices in Kollegal, Gundlupet and Yelandur.

However, after a couple of months, they were directed to work as 'D' group employees at Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS). This irked the families who opposed it saying they were unable to shift to Chamarajanagar and also cited the distance.

Mahesh, a CMC member who has extended his support for the cause, said the government has not given them suitable jobs.

"They are upset now. We are awaiting the next Cabinet meeting. The CM has cited some technical issues and has assured of holding a meeting to decide on it. There are more than 10 women who lost their husbands and are in dire need of jobs. There are youths with degrees and MBA. Suitable jobs should be given to them," he said.

Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag said, "Multiple meetings have been held with the families to convince them. A proposal has been sent to the government for employment. Whatever has to be done by the district administration has been done. The government has directed us to give outsourced jobs, based on availability".