The CRPF has ordered immediate withdrawal of scores of its personnel attached as “helping staff” (orderlies) to officers who have retired or been repatriated from the paramilitary due to apprehension that they may contract Covid-19 infection.

The move comes amid shortage of manpower owing to Covid-19 infection in the ranks and number of personnel being quarantined in the barracks or homes.

The shortage of manpower has further aggravated due to the ongoing lockdown, which has led to the extension of leave of a number of personnel amid the countrywide efforts to break the chain of coronavirus infection.

Due to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, many personnel have tested positive for the viral infection and several others have been subjected to quarantine. A number of personnel are one leave and cannot rejoin duty due to the lockdown.

“Due to this, offices/units of Delhi/NCR are badly suffering from acute shortage of manpower. NS (Northern Sector of CRPF) has provided many helping staff to the officers retired/repatriated from CRPF. As the helping staff may become vulnerable to Covid-19 during the above period, competent authority has directed to withdraw all such personnel immediately in view of the Covid-19 pandemic the larger interest of the health and well being of all concerned and to prevent the chain of spread,” according to an order issued on Friday and reviewed by The Pioneer.

In keeping with the decision, the CRPF headquarters has directed all the offices in Delhi and the national capital region to furnish the details of all such personnel attached with the retired/repatriated CRPF officials who are essentially Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

The information of such personnel has been sought to be furnished by 3 PM on Sunday in a certain format which will include the Force Number, rank and name of the staff attached as orderlies. The format will also detail the Unit of the attached personnel, the name of the retired officer with whom the personnel is attached, duration of attachment and authority for attachment, according to the document.

The order has been circulated to the CRPF offices in Delhi and Greater including those of the Northern Sector and Parliament Duty Group.

While the authorisation for helping staff is only for one month after retirement/repatriation of the top IPS officials, they continue to avail the facility at taxpayers’ expense for years together.