Yoga during duty hours: PCMC fines doctor, 7 YCM hospital staff

Pune: Taking strict action against the practice of yoga during duty hours, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner has issued an order penalising eight Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) woman employees, including a homoeopathic doctor, for allegedly neglecting patients during duty hours by engaging in yoga at the hospital. 

The incident was uncovered after PCMC received a complaint in October last year from a patient's relative about the practice of yoga during duty hours at the hospital. Following this, an inspection was conducted at the hospital by the General Administration Department on the directives of the Municipal corporation, which revealed that the medical officers were indeed practising yoga in the hospital hall. 

It came to light that the employees returned the concerned relatives who confronted them, urging them to prioritize the patient’s needs. This prompted the PCMC to take strict action against these individuals. 

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As a result, they imposed a fine of Rs 53,000 on the doctor and an average between Rs 10,000 and Rs 22,000 on others who were found guilty of their actions. The penalty will be deducted from the pay of the employees, according to the decree. 

Taking it one step ahead, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation commissioner, Shekhar Singh informed that the staff members will also be registered in the service book, which is generally a negative remark for the employee.

In response to this, the employees (a doctor, three nurse and administrative staff) who have been served the order has raised their voice against the PCMC decision terming the move as “very harsh." The employees claimed that they were following the message of the central government to practice yoga for a healthy lifestyle and only engaged in the practice for a few minutes which did not affect the patients or discouraged them from fulfilling their duties. 

When contacted, YCMH dean Rajendra Wabale “The eight women employees were caught by PCMC vigilance squad practising yoga in YCM hospital premises in October last year. Yoga has to be practised during off-duty hours. However, these employees were found doing yoga during duty hours and therefore the civic administration had imposed fines on them and had it mentioned in their service book.”

Asked whether he had opposed the move, Dr Wable said, “I had in writing urged the civic administration to issue them a warning and give them a lighter punishment….I think the punishment is disproportionate to the deviation. The YCMH employees said the imposition of fines as well as its mentioning in their service book would affect them badly.”

Due to the extreme urges from the employees and the request made by the dean of the hospital about lighting the punishment, Shekhar Singh informed The Indian Express on Saturday, “I have received representations from doctors and employees seeking a reversal of the decision. I will assess the applications that have been received."

Asked whether he will reverse the decision, the commissioner said, “At this stage, I would like to say that I will look into the matter…I will assess the applications that have been received. I want to see what pleas they have made in the application. Based on their representations, I will take a decision…As of now, I can’t comment whether I will withdraw the decision or not but will certainly re-look into it.”

The Municipal Commissioner has presented a different view on the matter. Shekhar Singh said “As per the norms, no employee is allowed to indulge in any other activity other than the work allotted to him during the duty hours. If we allow yoga, then they will start dance and Zumba classes. Especially, when it comes to a hospital, we need full focus of the employees on their work. Hospitals are places where timely help of the employees helps in saving lives.”

The decision to reconsider the matter or continue with the punishment will be announced soon by the commissioner. 

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