Two STS staffs die at Diglipur: Family members allege hectic work pressure

DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Apr 23: One Bus driver and one conductor, working in Diglipur unit of State Transport Service, died within a gap of few days, raising question on the severe work load on these staffs.
As per the reports the bus conductor Samir Chakraborthy, R/o Ramnagar was deployed in STS Route No 13A from Diglipur Bazaar to Talbagan, which leaves in the morning at 0545 hrs.
On 24 March after reaching Kishori Nagar, he reportedly aligned the bus, as he felt uneasy. He was immediately shifted to PHC Kishorinagar, later he was referred to CHC Diglipur then to G B Pant Hospital at Port Blair. He reportedly died on 21st April 2018.
His friends and family members now allege that before his death he was almost doing double duty from morning 4 AM to night 10 PM for several days due to staff shortage.
Another staff of STS Diglipur, Mr. Ram Chandra Biswas died today morning at GB Pant hospital. According to reports he was also doing double duty, for several days, before he was referred to GB Pant. Later his treatment was done at Mainland India.
Both were working as DRM in STS since long time and as per sources many staffs in STS unit of Diglipur have to do double duty for several days in a month.
Now the family and friends of the both are alleging the daily continuous work load is the main reason for their poor health, which resulted in their death.
On questioning by Andaman Sheekha the Station Master, STS Diglipur said that there are 14 bus routes in Diglipur for that in 28 buses 70 staffs are required but only 58 staffs are presently available in Diglipur. He said that this matter has already been intimated to the superiors. “After these incidents two more staff reduced,” he added.
Andaman Sheekha tried to call the Director of Transport several time for a comment but he was unavailable on phone.
Claims of family members and friends are true or not is an another issue but what one can clearly see is that there is excessive load on these staffs of STS in remote Islands, where life is already difficult. The Administration must do something to reduce the work load and in these cases atleast try to give job to someone in their family on companionate ground.
Earlier also, a Bus driver of State Transport Department, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Mr. N Arunachalam Kumar, 40 years, died nearly in second week of March, allegedly for driving long trips continuously for nearly 13 days and too much work pressure despite bad health.
After his death, Dr. Navlendra Kr. Singh, the Director of Transport Department had met the family in hospital and assured that a provisional job will be provided to the wife of the Late N Arunachalam Kumar.