NLC takes measures to combat Covid-19

Ever since the Government of India started issuing various advisories to take precautionary steps to prevent spread of Coronavirus, the NLC India Limited management is implementing a slew of preventive actions and awareness campaigns. A few of them are listed as under:

• The top management comprising Rakesh Kumar, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, R Vikraman, Director/HR, NNM Rao, Director/P&P, Prabhakar Chowki, Director/Mines, Shaji John, Director/Power and N Jaikumar Srinivasan, Director/Finance are constantly monitoring the activities besides having a structured review starting at 9.30 am daily.
• NLCIL’s regular employees and the workmen of contractors have been exempted from marking biometric attendance. Instead, they are recording attendance electronically by using their identity cards.
• A positive awareness campaign has been launched through pamphlets, posters, hoardings and videos to imbibe and promote the habits of personal hygiene, workplace hygiene and maintaining social distance.
• Accommodation in NLCIL’s guest houses have been highly restricted. The travel history and medical status of the guests are thoroughly scrutinised before permitting them in the guest house. Guests are also required to record any contact with those who have a travel history within two months to foreign countries and also about any clinical test undergone by them for Covid-19 or H1N1.
• In NLCIL’s general hospital, a ‘Quarantine Ward’ has been created with 20 beds. Additionally three wards with 73 beds have been earmarked and kept ready to function as isolation wards to meet any emergency.
• A high level team of doctors of NLCIL belonging to various disciplines such as General Medicine, Occupational Health, Pediatrics, Pathology and also with representatives from Nursing, Hospital Administration and Human Resource has been formed to review and implement necessary action on war footing on day-to-day basis.
• The management has sanctioned special funds to purchase all required essential items like sanitisers, masks, personal protective wear, foggers, disposable  linen... for hospital, township and units’ usage.
• The health department of township administration is taking care of maintaining sanitation and expediting holistic activities to maintain health and hygiene.
• Disinfection, fumigation and related activities are being carried out on regular basis.
• A special awareness programme on Covid-19 has been arranged with participation of Dr Saravana Kumari, MD, Government Medical College, Villupuram.
• A system has been put in place to permit ‘work from home’ on alternate days for employees working in various regional offices at Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhubaneswar.
• Similar preventive measures have also been taken up at all project sites —Thoothukudi (TN), Barsingsar (Rajasthan), Ghatampur (Uttar Pradesh), South Pachwara (Jharkhand), Talabira (Odisha) and all solar plants.
• A team of around 130 volunteers is carrying out in thermal scanning of incoming passengers. The Management has enlisted additional volunteers to put in action if situation demands.
• NLCIL, following government guidelines, has ordered that the places of Worship in Neyveli shall not be open to public until further orders.
• The mega annual festival of Panguni Uthiram at Siva Subramania Swamy Temple, Veluduyanpattu, has been cancelled to avoid large gathering of public. Only the rituals will be performed by the priest.
• NLCIL has also implemented government guidelines to deploy skeletal staff in activities not directly connected to operation and maintenance of mines and thermal power stations.
• NLCIL is, thus, continuously monitoring the situation arising out of Covid-19 pandemic and taking all possible steps to prevent incidents.