Coronavirus: Bihar-Returned Sun Pharma Employee in Sikkim Falls Sick, 1500 Colleagues Demand 'Holiday'

Gangtok, March 27, 2020:

As many as 1,500 workers of Sikkim's well-known pharmaceutical company, Sun Pharma, on Friday demanded holidays after a fellow worker, who returned from Bihar, showed signs of sickness.

The workers had been continuing their job at Sun Pharma's Setipool Unit. They stopped their work today when one of their colleagues from Bihar returned to work after celebrating Holi and he was advised to go into 14 days self-quarantine. On the contrary, the Sun Pharma management asked him to attend to his duties.

Fearing the dreaded coronavirus, which has infected more than 800 people in India and is spreading fast across the country, the Pharma workers staged a protest against the management. Their demand is to be provided with health safety and holiday for the next 14 days.

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"He came to work one day and suddenly started vomiting. He was rushed to the clinic here then they took him to Manipal. There the doctors said that he had to be isolated. Two of his roommates were also granted leave for quarantine purpose. If such is the case, then we also should get the leave," said one of the protesters.

He added that the worker who had been advised for isolation had intimated the Sun Pharma management about the matter. But the management did not grant him leave and called him to work.

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The employees of the Pharma company has staged the demand amid lockdown period following the outbreak of coronavirus in India. They said they would continue their protests until the management grants them leave.

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