The State-level Bankers Committee (SLBC) has written to all member banks to ensure adherence to standard operating procedures to be followed for preventing COVID-19.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, held a meeting on April 8 to re-sensitise the banks about the procedures to be followed to contain the spread of the virus. Banks were told that non-adherence to norms was punishable under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939.
All the customers and the public (including staff members) visiting the banks should compulsorily wear masks covering their mouth and nose from the time they enter the premises until they leave, the SLBC said in its notification.
It said the banks should ensure that there was no overcrowding of customers, especially in the closed rooms/halls, at any point of time and devise suitable measures to control it.
The SLBC also told banks to arrange for vaccination of eligible staff based on the guidelines issued by the Central and State governments. It advised lead district managers to approach the district administration in this regard.
It also told banks to display the amount of penalty that would be levied on individuals for violating the procedures.
T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public and Preventive Medicine, Chennai, in his recent letter to the SLBC had reiterated the SOPs to be followed and also pointed out that the head of the institutions/bank manager shall be held accountable for violation of SOPs by customers/staff.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Bank Employees’ Federation, affiliated to the All India Bank Employees’ Association, on Monday wrote to the SLBC that the SOPs were hardly being followed, and banks were not able to control the crowd.
It wanted banking services to be made available at all branches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Banks may be advised to run branches with staff on a rotation basis, it appealed.
