100 employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited die of Covid-19

Bengaluru: The Covid-19 second wave has claimed the lives of 100 employees of Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) since March.

In a statement, a company spokesperson said that the 100 fatalities had transpired at the firm's branches across India, with another 4,000 people having been infected during the second wave while a spokesperson added that a specific case and fatality break-up at this stage was not yet available as data needs to be compiled from various regions.

Sources say some 60 of the fatalities and slightly 2,000 infections were registered among HAL's 18,500 employees working in Bengaluru.

The Covid-19 hits are said to have impacted key defence systems such as the LCA Tejas and helicopter programmes, but HAL said the real problem was the disruption of the supply chain to the extent that projects were delayed.

According to Suryadevara Chandrashekara, Chief Convenor, All India HAL Trade Unions Coordination Committee (AIHALTUCC), the number of infections has reduced in recent days. However, in late April and early May, they were at their highest.

''By being classified as a necessary industry by the central government, employees had no choice but to work. But when cases began spiralling upwards in April, we fought to get a temporary closure to break the chain of infection,'' Chandrashekara said.

''Death of employees is sad but HAL will overcome and make up for the lost skills and know-how. The company has manpower that can cope with additional tasks and challenges,'' the company said.(UNI)