Khammam teachers struggle with show-cause notices for not attending to poll duties

KHAMMAM: Teachers of Khammam, who have received show-cause notices from district collector R. V. Karnan for not attending to poll duties during Khammam Municipal Corporation elections, are struggling to justify why they skipped duties. The 443 teachers, who have received notices, have to file their reply within seven days.

It is a matter of fact that 60 percent of teachers in Khammam district kept away from poll duties. As a result, district election authorities faced an uphill task in mobilising staff for election duties.

Finding themselves in a difficult situation, teachers have approached their respective unions for a solution. Panchatyatraj Teachers Union Khammam district president Motukuri Madhu said due to prevailing Coronavirus, authorities should take a lenient view of those who have skipped their poll duties.

He said 20 percent of the teachers were, in fact, down with Coronavirus. They even have documents to prove it. Some of the teachers were pregnant. Many could not attend to duties as their near and dear had been afflicted with the virus or other ailments. There was none to take care of them, Madhu explained.

Interestingly, some of the teachers are pointing to the demise of 1,621 teachers who had attended to duties during panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh. They argue that the government should keep prevailing conditions in view and be lenient towards with teachers.