LDA Commits Sheer Violation Of COVID-19 Protocols

(@fidahassanain)

LDA commits sheer violation of COVID-19 protocols

National Command and Control Commission has strictly directed all state departments to follow COVID-19 protocols but the situation is totally different at Lahore Development Authority where violation of these protocols is taking place under the nose of Director Administration as total staff gather and stand in long-queues to mark attendance on biometric machine in sheer violation of its own notification of 50 per cent work from home policy.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Feb 23rd, 2021) Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is violating COVID-19 protocols set by National Command and Commission to counter global pandemic, the sources claim.

The Sources say that all officials are directed to ensure their attendance by using “biometric machine”—which has been abandoned by many other departments in a bid to avoid from any possible contract of COVID-19 virus.

“All people use biometric machine for their attendance despite that 50 per cent of staff have been directed to follow the policy of work from home,” an official seeking anonymity has told UrduPoint.

“LDA is deliberately violating COVID-19 protocols while Coronavirus is still spreading rapidly,” he states.

“At least 16 officials of the authority have fallen sick of COVID-19,” the official says, adding that a Deputy Director (Engineering) Muhammad Asad has tested positive.

The sources say that COVID-19 officials stand in a long queue to mark their attendance on biometric machine.

“We all the official gather at one place and in long queues for their attendance at the office what will happen. You know a senior official has contracted Coronavirus besides dozens of other staff members,” he adds.

He further says: “Biometric attendance is the main root cause of COVID-19,”.

The astonishing fact is that that there are hundreds of LDA workers who are above the 50-year of age who are very vulnerable to COVID-19. The sources say that majority of the officials are seriously concerned about their safety.

“We’re all concerned about safety,” claims the official.

On Feb 20, 2021, Lahore Development Authority had issued notification, with clear instructions to follow the policy of 50 per cent work from home. The notification carrying signature of Director Administration is available with UrduPoint. But, the sources say, the same administration has verbally directed all officials to come visit the main office and ensure their biometric attendance which is clear violation of COVID-19 protocols as well as violation of its own notification.

It is happening right at this moment when all the schools and educational institutions are closed due to the global pandemic, so that it could not spread, and the high level officials of the Federal and the provincial government are running countrywide campaign for implementation on Coronavirus.

Despite repeated requests on the above said issue and violation of Coronavirus, LDA Public Relation Officer Sohail Janjua was not available there for comments.

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.