Despite the threat of termination from the BMC, a good 30 to 32 per cent civic employees stayed away from their COVID hospital duties on Monday. While the corporation plans to sack these employees, the union demanded leniency considering their age, trauma and travelling issues.

The attendance of the employees remained below 50 per cent at the civic hospitals and on COVID duty. After a video showing a KEM ward without a single nurse or ward boy went viral last week, the corporation had declared the termination clause. The diktat led to some hospitals experiencing a rise in staff numbers. "Around 38 per cent staff were present till last week and today an additional 30 per cent came to work," said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of Sion hospital and director of major hospitals.