KOLKATA: From themselves turning into technicians to paying plumber and electricians double their salaries and providing them accommodation on the premises, residents’ associations at some of the big complexes have been taking steps to ensure families could avail of the services even during the lockdown.
“Plumbers and electricians are the backbone of maintaining a housing society like ours. At Urbana, there’s a manpower shortage though some of them have been asked to stay back in the club. We have formed a maintenance team, including engineers, who have the knowhow of the technical job. They are overseeing plumbing and electrical job and even fixing stuff with unskilled workers,” said Sanjeev Ganeriwal, president of Urbana Welfare Association, adding they had a two-hour power failure earlier this month but thanks to the team, the generators could be operated timely before CESC repaired the fault.
At Silver Spring complex on E M Bypass, residents said the water pipeline sprung leaks thrice in the lockdown period, but they were repaired as the plumbers and electricians had been convinced to stay back. “We have made arrangements for 50 of our technicians and housekeeping staff to stay in the complex. Because they were here, the leaks could be repaired or we don’t know what would have happened,” said Ashok Baid of the residents’ association. Upohar complex is paying technicians extra and making them stay back ven if their homes are a stones throw away. “Without plumbers and electricians, our daily management work will fall apart,” said Nilanjan Das, secretary of the apartment owners’ association.
However, not every resident has been lucky. At Trinath Apartment in Behala, the water tank started leaking and residents have to make do with scant water supply. “Our usual plumber could not come. A local plumber gave us a stop-gap solution as all hardware shops are closed,” said Arijit Banerjee, a resident. K Ghosh, who lives in Power Towers in New Town, is getting vegetables and groceries at doorstep but when his water purifier broke down, repeated calls and messages to the company yielded no response.
“Plumbers and electricians are the backbone of maintaining a housing society like ours. At Urbana, there’s a manpower shortage though some of them have been asked to stay back in the club. We have formed a maintenance team, including engineers, who have the knowhow of the technical job. They are overseeing plumbing and electrical job and even fixing stuff with unskilled workers,” said Sanjeev Ganeriwal, president of Urbana Welfare Association, adding they had a two-hour power failure earlier this month but thanks to the team, the generators could be operated timely before CESC repaired the fault.
At Silver Spring complex on E M Bypass, residents said the water pipeline sprung leaks thrice in the lockdown period, but they were repaired as the plumbers and electricians had been convinced to stay back. “We have made arrangements for 50 of our technicians and housekeeping staff to stay in the complex. Because they were here, the leaks could be repaired or we don’t know what would have happened,” said Ashok Baid of the residents’ association. Upohar complex is paying technicians extra and making them stay back ven if their homes are a stones throw away. “Without plumbers and electricians, our daily management work will fall apart,” said Nilanjan Das, secretary of the apartment owners’ association.
However, not every resident has been lucky. At Trinath Apartment in Behala, the water tank started leaking and residents have to make do with scant water supply. “Our usual plumber could not come. A local plumber gave us a stop-gap solution as all hardware shops are closed,” said Arijit Banerjee, a resident. K Ghosh, who lives in Power Towers in New Town, is getting vegetables and groceries at doorstep but when his water purifier broke down, repeated calls and messages to the company yielded no response.
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