The Jammu and Kashmir bank Corporate Headquarters in Srinagar remained closed for the second successive day on Friday after 27 employees were tested positive for COVID-19.
Alleging careless attitude of J&K bank management, the employees have expressed concerned over their safety and the safety of their families in view of many employees already being exposed to their COVID-19 positive colleagues, increasing the risk of getting more persons infected at the Headquarters.
Sources said that the employees have been asked to report to work on Monday unless communicated otherwise. “The bank has closed the offices for Thursday and Friday in view of positive COVID-19 cases while Saturday and Sunday is holidays,” they said.
In an official communication sent to employees, the J&K bank management said that due to certain COVID-19 positive cases figured for staff posted at Corporate Headquarters, it has been decided to take following immediate measures/steps to avoid spread of COVID-19.
It said that all offices at Corporate Headquarters will remain closed on Friday expect the Vice Presidents and above.
However, it said the employees of departments — including Service Operations, Payment and settlement, Government Business and Treasury operations — should work from home for continuity of business operations.
On Thursday, the departments which were remain closed include General Department Corporate Headquarters, Enquiry department Corporate Headquarters, Vigilance department, S&C department, IS Audit, Estate and Engineering, All departments on third floor, Payment and settlement, Risk Management and ATM help desk section.
A J&K bank employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, alleged that number of positive cases increased due to careless attitude of the bank management. “The employees were tested for COVID-19 a week after the first positive case came forth in the Headquarters… and it took more than a week for the test results during which the employees came to the office. If the tests would have been done and precautionary measures taken earlier the number of positive cases would have been less,” he alleged.
However, he further said that after the first positive COVID-19 cases was detected in the HQ, the department was not closed and no one was asked to self quarantine. “It was business as usual in the HQ resulting in more positive cases,” he said.
He alleged that the second thing which happened was that when the test results came on Tuesday, no one was positive — it was either negative or awaited. “Employees after seeing negative and awaited status let their guard down a little bit, which is also another cause for high positive cases,” he said.
Another employee said many employees had requited the management to allow them to work from home till the time the test results come so that the infection does not spread. “The infected people include helpers, who have access to many people in different departments due to their work… this is also a cause of concern as many more people could have been exposed to the infection,” he said.
The employees said that the bank management should get their test done once again and till the time the results doesn’t come they should be allowed to work from home.