These allowance will be for those suffering from dust allergy while some have developed tuberculosis
Clerks in the secretariat have asked the government to provide them risk allowance
Chennai: Clerks in the secretariat have asked the government to provide them risk allowance as many of them suffer from dust allergy and some have developed tuberculosis as they are involved in cleaning and maintaining old records.
They said they use copper sulphate and other chemicals to repair the damage caused to old records and constantly clean files that pile up in various departments.In a representation to the finance department, members of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association (TNSS) said a few clerks in the archives department had developed allergies and tuberculosis as they used chemicals and inhaled dust at work.
S. Peter Anthonysamy, president of TNSS, told DC that more than 250 clerks worked in various departments in the secretariat and 40 of them worked in the archives department.“A huge number of files are disposed of every five years from every department to the archives department. Clerks have to keep records in order, supply necessary files whenever required by officials and repair documents which date back to the British era, using chemicals. Due to daily inhalation of chemicals and exposure to dust they suffer from respiratory illness,” he said in the letter to the government.
The association has asked for Rs100 per month to be given as risk allowance to start with. “The livelihood of the clerks will be affected if their health is at stake. We are hopeful that the allowance will be considered,” TNSS members said.
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