The Puducherry Government Medical Officers Association has written a letter to Director (Health), Puducherry government, complaining against Lieutenant Governor for allegedly demeaning a senior colleague of their fraternity.

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The Association said that they condemn the "unruly, inhuman behaviour" by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) towards their colleague during a video conference on July 19. "One of our senior-most doctors was questioned and demeaned by our LG at our office premises. This has deeply wounded all of our fraternity. We request you to kindly look into the matter and settle the issue. The intimidating manner of handling a very senior officer of the Health Department in front of subordinates and staff of other departments, and having popularised the video for the fame has disturbed us a lot," the letter written by the Association read.

"Further the LG's words, that she is reserving the video without release and blackmailing the concerned official in the 4 pm video conference yesterday, was not expected from her," it added. Stressing that the entire medical department has been working in full swing during the COVID-19 crisis phase, the association asserted that the LG's conduct on July 19 has "insulted" the untiring work done by them.

"In such uncertain and unprecedented situations. Her empathy would have been more welcome rather than authorities behaviour exhibited. The PHC medical officers are presented with multiple supervisory hierarchies in which they are forced to work in constant state of feat, which adversely affects their performance. Further, the field staff is forced to duplicate their work in soft copies," it said. Keeping the severity of the situation in mind, the association will continue working in the larger public interest, the letter added.

As of July 19, the COVID-19 count in Puducherry stood at 1,999 according to the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Pudducherry government. 109 new positive cases were reported on July 19. This includes 1,154 cured and discharged patients and 28 deaths having been reported due to the disease. There are 817 active cases in the union territory.