COVID-19 – ordeals faced by the essential commodity production units in Gautam Buddh Nagar
By Amit Mehra
Since last two days there has been a lot of applaud for the authorities of Gautam Buddh Nagar showing the stagnation in number of cases of Covid-19. The data shared on 23rd April 2020 showed no rise in the number of cases. It indeed seems that they are leaving so stone unturned to end the second phase of lockdown in UP.
Applaudable indeed !!
Covid-19, a highly contagious virus has surely been a nightmare to control and cure. Agreed, the control is being implemented well by police but have the authorities been fair to those who are in line for its cure, the frontline battlers, those who are producing the essential items for its cure ?
This is my question.
We as a production company, manufacturing MEDICAL ESSENTIAL DEVICE, disposable ECG Electrodes which is used in ICU and other medical emergencies are one such production house which has been working since the very first week after the lockdown began. The essentiality of this product is to anyone having heart conditions or breathing difficulties, It is probably the first few checks done on a patient before any medical procedure starts. For any patient taken into ICU, Heart Monitoring is a must needs & these electrodes are an important component of the same. As per the list of essential medical supplies required during lockdown, shared by MSME, Cardiac Monitor is one of the most important detection instruments for covid-19 infected patients and this monitor does not work without the ECG Electrodes produced at MEIL.
Unfortunately, from the day lockdown began, we have had a harrowing time explaining to various authorities the need of our product in abundant supply in hospital both Nationally and Globally. We met the CMO, DM, Commissioner everyone (not in the same order though) and finally got approval to run the unit of course with the onus on us of keeping all required norms in place like
Maintaining social distancing, Excessive sanitisation, staff well being, Health care, counselling and motivating, getting them out of fear psychosis. We have done them all and in a better way than probably expected because we ourselves belong to the sector where hygiene has to be best maintained and prioritized.
It is however heartning to say that for us the challenge of running the unit, never ended even once in last one month.
Everyday a new circular, a new requirement, a new rule is imposed on us. Though we are given permission for our staff to commute but there has never been a dull day when they could commute to work without half of being sent back and mind you this is after only half the number of staff coming to work and rest are working from home.
Recent addition to the ordeal is that inspite of having all valid passes we are being stopped at the borders of Delhi, Ghaziabad etc.
Recently another circular dt 22nd March stating that the workers of any unit must be accommodated within or near the place of work and should not be communicating to and fro was entrusted upon us. Non compliance to this by 25th April, all permissions granted will be withdrawn. Such out of place directives throw us off our feet on regular basis.
There has been an exponential rise in our expenses:
The workers who used to commute on their own are now being picked and dropped ( expense 1),
Maintaining excess sanitization and cleanliness (expenses 2),
Provide hygienic food (expense 3),
and now the authorities expect us to undergo another expense of in house staying of staff.
My idea of sharing this open letter is to just draw the attention of the authorities towards the reason why we as Indians refrain ourselves to participate with the government when needed the most.
At one end there is a company like us who is willing to fight the battle but the same company is made to prove to those, who should be actually supporting us to continue operations in the best interest of the country’s fore most important sector today which is Health care.
By putting rules which are almost next to impossible the authorities actually push us to think and rethink if all this is even worth it ! We had taken it as our moral responsibility to stand by the government in this hour of need.
Should a supporter not be supported?
Should it not have been the other way round ?
If there are different rules put up on literally daily basis how can they expect such mandate industries to keep operating ?
It is easy for authorities to say that they have managed to curtail the growing number of cases, but how ?
Biggest question.
By making our staff from across border not come in, by pushing those mandates in a closed envelopes to us, by passing all regulation to be followed by us, by making us run around you to help you …and on top of that by not supporting us in any which ways.
My earnest appeal to the people concerned
PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU, PLEASE SUPPORT US TO SUPPORT YOU.
In this hour of need, we want to join hands, we are willing to do better than the best, provided we are supported and not made to work under such burden.
Formulate rules, we will abide but give us the way forward to abide rules.
Together we shall fight it. If you want citizens, industries, corporates to support you then you have to return the support too.
From the desk of:
AMIT MEHRA, CMD, MEDICO ELECTRODES INTERNATIONAL LTD, NSEZ COMPLEX
We care for your heart
