The new Covid 19 virus is now spreading rapidly across the country. The death toll is also rising.
Although the government has issued various health guidelines and circulars, only a handful are being implemented. As in the first and second Covid wave, this time the health staff did not even have buses to transport. They also have to travel on public transport.
This time the train is not as safe as last time. Last year, passengers were taken to the number of seats using numbers, but this time they were not. Passengers on the train now travel two meters without a gap of even a meter.
The All Ceylon Railway General Employees Union (ACRWU) has issued a statement stating that despite the issuance of circulars by the government, the spread of the corona virus among railway employees and passengers could increase due to the failure of the authorities to pay proper attention to them and the inability to implement certain circulars in practice. That.
According to the union, it has started to spread among the employees of the Railway Department and a number of work sites including the Ratmalana mechanical work site have had to be closed down.
The union alleges that the railway authorities have failed to properly implement the instructions issued by the health sector and the circulars issued by Public Administration Circular 02/2021 (I) to prevent the spread of the Kovid 19 virus in almost every section of the department. Due to the high number of vacancies and the shortage of staff, the railway authorities have to face a number of serious problems and problems in maintaining the essential services without any hindrance.
Although the above circular has advised employees not to report for duty without deducting two days off per week, some employees have been forced to work for several consecutive days without being able to take leave and do not follow proper health care procedures with regard to railway employees to prevent the spread of the corona virus. Meanwhile, the railway authorities have stated that a health care system will be implemented at every railway station for the passengers entering the railway stations, but such a system is not operational at the railway stations.
Although it is possible to run passenger buses with a gap between passengers, the government has not been able to maintain a passenger gap in the running train due to non-compliance with proper procedures, no matter how many circulars the government has not paid due attention to and the inability to implement certain circulars in practice. The announcement further pointed out that the spread of the corona virus could increase among the employees of the department and among the train passengers.