PMC health clerks on BLO duties struggle with routine work backlog

Pune: A stationery stock inventory and billing clerk working in PMC’s health department has been assigned BLO duties since June 30 for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and has to go from door-to-door verifying voters’ details in Vishrantwadi area. The double duty has taken a toll and he is behind in his primary job.At least sixty clerks are on BLO duties which has severely affected routine administrative work in PMC’s health department. The exercise has been extended twice, requiring civic employees to continue reporting for SIR-related duties. The prolonged deployment has left the health department functioning with a skeletal clerical staff.Officials said files were piling up and routine communication with hospitals and other departments was being delayed. The shortage has also affected the process of tenders and other time-bound administrative procedures.PMC’s deputy commissioner (election) Prasad Katkar said, “Almost 85% of PMC staff have been deployed for SIR duties and this has hampered routine work. Staffers from Class I to Class IV have BLO duties and have been working for months. Crucial work, including taxation, tenders and other important works have been delayed. The staff is expected to do their routine work but it is not happening. They have been told to attend to their BLO duties throughout the day and they are unable to finish daily activities.”Senior health department officials said several essential tasks were either delayed or have come to a standstill. These include issuing notices to hospitals, typing out tender-related orders, preparing intra-departmental correspondence and completing routine administrative documentation.Dr Neena Borade, chief health officer of PMC’s health department, said, “Of the 65 clerks in our department, 62 are deputed for the SIR activities. These are from the health department in the headquarters and from the ward offices. Clerical work is delayed since these staffers are engaged in SIR work. However, we have told them to be in the department for at least two hours every day to finish the important work.”However, several staffers are struggling with travel, time management and other issues. One of them said,” I live in Chakan and have Vishrantwadi area for SIR duties. At the health department, I was responsible for the stationery inventory and placing purchase orders. The commute is long and tiring and there is no clarity on any remuneration for us for all this work.”A junior clerk who stays in Phursungi and travels to Upper Indiranagar in Bibvewadi said, “ I am responsible for reporting on crematoriums and cemeteries and compiling complaints from citizens and information sought under RTI. I go from door-to-door or am stationed at Vishwakarma School for SIR work. This is a full-time BLO order and we have to work for nine hours the entire day.”Pravin, another junior clerk from the health department, said, ”I handle inward and outward processes of all documents in the department. I am attached to Ambedkar School in Dhanori as a BLO. I verify voter details and wait at the school to attend to voters coming there. Depending on the workload, we shift places. I try to go to the office for at least two hours once or twice a week and try to finish my routine duties.”Health department officials have urged the civic administration to provide alternative manpower or exempt essential staff so that public health-related administrative work can resume.