TIRUNELVELI: The bank accounts of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University and Anna University - Tirunelveli campus would be frozen and employees’ contribution dues along with interest and damages would be recovered under the Code of Social Security (CSS), 2020, if the institutions fail to register their staff with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), said G Bhaskar, Joint Director (in-charge), ESIC Tirunelveli Sub-Region.

Addressing media persons on Thursday, Bhaskar said that despite ESIC officials approaching the university authorities multiple times, they did not comply with the 2013 GO of the Tamil Nadu government.

“ESIC once again reminds the universities to register all temporary, contract and honorarium-based teaching and non-teaching staff, engaged directly or through various manpower agencies, in their campus and affiliated college campuses with the corporation. Apart from recovery, penal provisions under the CSS will also be invoked, including prosecution of the authorities concerned,” he warned.

Bhaskar further said that the ESIC Special Registration of ESIC (SPREE) scheme will conclude on December 31. The scheme was introduced to provide a window for employers to register their units under the ESI Act.

“So far, 600 employers in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts have registered their employees with ESIC under SPREE. After the deadline, ESIC will prosecute unregistered organisations.”

Bhaskar said that beedi, plantation and stone quarry workers have been brought under the ESIC purview.

“We are also focussing on infrastructure development. A 100-bedded ESIC hospital would soon be inaugurated in Thoothukudi. Another hospital will be constructed in Kanniyakumari” he added.