The number of teachers and staff who allegedly died of COVID-19 after being assigned duty in the panchayat polls and control rooms for the pandemic has gone up to 1,621, a union for the primary teachers in Uttar Pradesh claimed on Sunday.
The union also alleged that despite assurances by the state chief secretary on May 1, a day before counting, that unwell teachers and staff would not be asked to be on polling duty, those who were absent due to illness on counting and voting days had faced suspension and salary cuts.
Uttar Pradesh Prathmik Shikshak Sangh president Dinesh Chandra Sharma said the number of primary education department teachers and staff to die on polling duty during the pandemic had gone up to 1,621. The union released a list of the 1,621 people.
Moreover, he added, many teachers and staff with heart diseases died due to “tension” and heart attack.
COVID-19 safety protocols were not followed at the counting centers of the panchayat polls by the district administration, said Mr. Sharma.
“What’s worrying is that even after the so much of loss of life, administrative officials in districts are harassing primary teachers,” he said.
Basic education department teachers and staff are allowed to work from home but in several districts like Unnao, Rae Bareli, Lucknow, Basti, Banda and Hardoi, they have been assigned duty at COVID control rooms at the cost of their safety, he said.
The union demanded that a compensation of ₹1 crore be provided to the kin of the staff and teachers who died during polling duty. The union also demanded that the government withdraw all punitive action against the teachers and staff absent on polling duty and declare all teachers, including the deceased, as corona warriors.
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