Trade unions of the Telangana Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) have raised concerns over what they said is a delay in turning the TSRTC Hospital at Tarnaka into a COVID-19 treatment centre for employees.
The demand for the turning the hospital into a COVID -19 treatment centre for staff and workers gained traction in June last year after the death of balladeer and TSRTC worker Mohammed Nisar who had contracted the virus. TSRTC Employees Union office-bearer K Raji Reddy said that Mr Nisar was his colleague.
On Wednesday, the TSRTC Employees Union (TSRTC EU) reiterated the demand. It was pointed out that like last year, several workers had lost their lives to the pandemic. Their treatment in private hospitals is taking a toll on their financial condition, which is already hit by several salary-related issues.
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The union claimed that around 70 workers had lost their lives due to COVID-19. They said that it is due this that it is important that work to develop the TSRTC Hospital into a COVID-19 centre reaches its logical conclusion at the earliest. The TSRTC EU pointed out that there have been delays in the work and demanded that it be completed on war footing.
The TSRTC EU also demanded that the those who have lost their lives to the novel coronavirus be given compensation of ₹50 lakh.