In another major step in support of and to protect pregnant women of the district the District Magistrate Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary who is also the Chairman District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Srinagar has issued guidelines instructing all heads of government departments and private organisations and institutions to authorise and send on paid leave all female officials and staff who are pregnant.
The DM who is also the Chairman District Disaster Management Authority Srinagar has issued the guidelines under Section 34 of the National Disaster Management Act 2005.
The guidelines have been issued in view of instances of pregnant women found infected with COVID-19 and a greater risk that the infection poses to the pregnant women as medical experts suggest.
The guidelines direct for sending all such women on leave immediately, with effect from tomorrow on May 21, for a period of one month.
The order containing these guidelines states that all such female employees will be entitled to fully pay and emoluments and arrears as due during routine duty during this period of leave.
To enable monitoring for provision of special support as might be required during this period to such women the Drawing & Disbursing Officers or DDOs have been asked to send consolidated lists of all such employees with their expected dates to deliveries to the DDMA.
This significant step follows an ongoing special support mechanism put in place for all pregnant women of the district. The latter includes provision of special clothing-and-nutrition kits for mothers and newborns and dedicated ambulance service for all such women on their dates of deliveries besides. It also includes COVID-19 testing ahead of dates of deliveries.
The order states that violations of guidelines as issued thereunder will attract strict penalties under Section 52 of the disaster management act. It states that the order will remain in force till June 20 unless modified earlier.
Pregnant female officials facing issues in this regard have been asked to call at 6006333308 or email at dcsgr-jk@nic.in to register their grievances. For other kinds of support or assistance the officials can text or call DPO ICDS Zeenat Ara at 9419063345 or Yamina Almas at 9419059348.