A 28-year-old sanitation worker in Bengaluru succumbed to COVID-19 after testing positive for the virus on Thursday, July 16.
The frontline worker, Shilpa Prasad was engaged with the municipal corporation Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) in the city.
According to reports, All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) Karnataka has alleged negligence in her treatment and had called for a candlelight vigil on Saturday evening demanding action on the worker’s death.
‘Negligence of casteist BBMP cost Shilpa, a Powrakarmika, her life! We submitted letters, held placards, petitioned BBMP for PPEs, for testing but they weren’t moved. Join in a candlelight vigil at 7 pm to demand action,’ AICCTU tweeted.
Negligence of casteist BBMP cost Ms. Shilpa, a Powrakarmika her life ! We submitted letters, held placards, petitioned BBMP for PPEs, for testing but they weren’t moved.Join in a candlelight vigil at 7pm to demand action. Take pics tag @BBMPCOMM @BBMP_MAYOR Pls RT Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/Y5bMCuiER8
— AICCTU Karnataka (@aicctukar) July 17, 2020
Her relative has said that after she was tested positive, Shilpa and her husband tried contacting a number of hospitals for beds but were unsuccessful in finding one, The Indian Express reported
The relative claimed that after several failed attempts, Shilpa was admitted to Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College. However, she was not put on a ventilator which caused her death.
‘Her health deteriorated five hours after admission to the hospital, and she succumbed in the early hours of Thursday,’ said a BBMP official.
‘We had informed her family on the non-availability of a ventilator, as all were occupied, advising her to seek treatment from another hospital. However, the family insisted we admitted her and begin treatment. Unfortunately, she passed away,’ a spokesperson from B R Ambedkar Medical College told the publication.
Bengaluru mayor Goutham Kumar said Rs 10 lakh has been given to the woman’s family as compensation. He said compensation would also be provided to four other pourakarmikas who died due to coronavirus, reported NDTV.
ಪೌರಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆ ಪಾಲಿಕೆಯ ಮೊದಲ ಆದ್ಯತೆ.ಪ್ರತಿದಿನ ಪೌರಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರು ಕೆಲಸಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊರಡುವ ಮುನ್ನ,ಅವರು ಹಾಜರಿ ಒಪ್ಪಿಸುವ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲೇ ದೇಹದ ಉಷ್ಣಾಂಶ ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆಗೆ ಥರ್ಮಲ್ ಸ್ಕ್ಯಾನರ್ ನೀಡಲಾಗಿದೆ.ಹಾಗೂ ಎಲ್ಲ ಪೌರಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರಿಗೆ ಕೈಗವಸು, ಮಾಸ್ಕ್, ಸ್ಯಾನಿಟೈಜರ್ ಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ.#BBMPFightsCovid19 pic.twitter.com/EODmSMUYvA
— M Goutham Kumar (@BBMP_MAYOR) July 18, 2020
‘The health and safety of our Pourakarmikas remain our top priority. All mustering location supervisors are provided with thermal scanners to check the temperature of the Pourkarmikas before they start work. We have also been providing masks, gloves and sanitizers to our PKs,’ he added.
The health and safety of our Pourakarmikas remain our top priority.All mustering location supervisors are provided with thermal scanners to check the temperature of the Pourkarmikas before they start work. We have also been providing masks, gloves and sanitizers to our PKs. pic.twitter.com/YLKIiRRMuv
— M Goutham Kumar (@BBMP_MAYOR) July 18, 2020
BBMP Commissioner Anil Kumar stated that he met zone officers and staff to ‘boost their morale’.
‘This week there has been a lot of sadness at BBMP as we lost some of our staff due to COVID-19. Met Dasarahalli and Yelahanka zone officers and staff today to boost their morale. This is the time for all of us to stand together as Bengaluru citizens are expecting a lot from BBMP,’ he tweeted.
As a continuing safety measure, #BBMP has made arrangements to check the health of PKs using thermal scanners at all mustering points in the city & ensure they get sanitizers, gloves and safety kits.#Bengaluru #BBMPFightsCovid19 pic.twitter.com/Pb1pGYnPls
— B.H.Anil Kumar,IAS (@BBMPCOMM) July 18, 2020
