Corona outbreak: CM asks industries not to sack workers for absence during lockdown

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday asked all private industries not to sack employees for their absence during the lockdown in the state.

He said the government would also ensure that all its contractual workers receive their wages even if they are unable to work during the lockdown.

The chief minister said private industries and commercial establishments are being advised not to retrench any employee for absence during the lockdown.

A day after putting seven districts of the state under lockdown, the Haryana government on Monday decided to extend the anti-coronavirus measure to the remaining 15 districts of the state from March 24.

So far, 14 people have tested positive for Covid-19, he said.

Announcing various reliefs for different sections of people during the lockdown, Khattar told reporters in a "digital" news conference that if a domestic, commercial or small industrial consumer is unable to pay their electricity billsin time, no surcharge or interest on delayed payment would be charged till April 15.

No surcharge or interest would be levied either till April 15 for the delay in payment of water or sewerage bills, he said.

Similarly, the due date for paying all taxes under the Haryana Motor Vehicle Taxation Act would be extended by a month till April 30, he said.

The stage and contract carriage vehicles too would be given 100 per cent exemption from the motor vehicle taxation for the lockdown period during which they are not allowed to ply, he said.

No penalty would be charged either for any delay in renewal or passage of vehicle permit from March 15 to April 30, he said.

Meanwhile, in a bid to break the transmission chain of Covid-19, the state government on Monday said some of its employees have been asked to work from home till March 31 or till further orders, an official statement said here.

The order, however, does not apply to employees providing essential and emergency services, including the health services, it said.

All administrative secretaries should ensure that only 50 per cent of the Group B, C and D employees in their departments, including the municipal bodies, corporations and societies, are asked to attend offices while the remaining 50 per cent staffer are allowed to work from home, it said.

The order also barred officials posted in districts from leaving their station without the permission of respective deputy commissioners, it added.

The deputy commissioners will have the discretion to requisition services of any official of any department for containing the spread of COVID-19, the statement said.

It added that all staffers working from home should be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times.

It also enjoined upon employees working from home to spread awareness on measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among the households through social media and other means of communication.

They were also asked to their compliance report to the chief secretary's office.

The statement added that social distancing norms and all precautions should be followed by the employees.