The government schoolteachers in Chandigarh have been assigned the duty of guarding some of the containment sites. The teachers are positioned at these places alone without any police officers present with them.

The situation does not favor the teachers as they are taking online classes while guarding the places. Another challenge faced by the teachers is the inadequacy of people confined in these zones who are reluctant to follow or listen to them.

As stated by an anonymous teacher deployed at one such containment zone, today it is just the teacher who is on duty without any police official and no safety as such. The question that arises is that will people listen to the teachers if they ask them not to move out, or will they listen to the men in uniform. The teacher giving the statement seeking anonymity stated that it is gradually becoming difficult because the COVID is spreading. The teacher doubts that people will really heed their instructions to not move out. Another government teacher reaffirmed the doubt that how can they ask or force people in containment zones not to stay inside and not come out.

As per the recent data, 25 such government schoolteachers have been assigned to the duty of guarding the contamination zones in the south division.  The time of duty allotted to the teachers is from 6 am to 10 pm, in which 3 teachers divide their shifts. Earlier, only two teachers could divide their shifts during this time.

The government schools from where the teachers have been deployed at the containment zones are- Dhanas, Maloya, Manimajra, Sector 39 C, Khuda Lahora, Khuda Alisher, 10A, Sector 33D, Sector 16, Kaimbwala, Sector 38 West, 28, 21, 40B, 32, Behlana, Sector 37D, 56, 8B, 46 and others.

One major challenge faced by them is that their duty as a teacher where they must take the online classes and teach the students is not shared with anyone else amidst the chaos of managing the people in the contamination zones. A teacher stated painfully that their plight is such that they are sitting there and taking online classes with the risk of contracting COVID themselves. In such condition, they need to stop people moving out of containment zones. The situation is even tougher for those deployed in colony areas and other rural belts.

Mr. Swarn Singh Kamboj, the President of UT Cadre Educational Employees’ Union made allegations on the administration of putting the lives of teachers at risk during this time of pandemic. He further stressed that the teachers are not even provided with any PPE kits to protect themselves in such contamination areas.

He further queried that is the government ready to provide insurance cover of Rs 1 crore of each teacher who has been deployed in the containment zones. He asked in a rhetorical way what will the government do if the teacher contracts the virus.  He further added as a matter of fact that the teachers have not even been given any gloves or sanitizer. He requested the administration to immediately withdraw teachers from manning the containment zones. Kamboj asked in rhetoric that when police officials cannot enforce discipline, how the teachers can do it. He added that the teachers have not been told for how many days they will be on this duty. He finally asked whether all the other agencies have backed away in this time of crisis.