Give clarity on domestic staff: RWAs

Aditya Dev | TNN | May 6, 2020, 07:02 IST

Ghaziabad: Despite the Union government easing some lockdown restrictions, the Federation of Association of Apartment Owners (FedAOA) on Tuesday wrote to the district administration seeking clarity on the entry of domestic staff and technicians to repair fridges and TV sets. The letter comes in the backdrop of a lack of clear-cut guidelines on issues like the entry of domestic helps, car cleaners and repairmen from the district administration, prompting various resident bodies to follow different rules.
In its letter to the district magistrate, the federation, which has over 100 societies of Ghaziabad as its members, sought clarification on five points which are becoming a cause of friction between residents and AOAs. These include whether helps, car washers, washermen and drivers are allowed to work in societies in multiple houses during 7 am to 7 pm and whether guests of residents can visit them without having any pass or medical certificate.
For instance, on Monday an argument had broken out between the AOA members of a group housing society, Ashiana Upvan, and a resident in Indirapuram over the entry of his relatives, who were stuck in a different place at the time of the lockdown. The AOA members were in a dilemma whether to allow them and tried to seek instructions from administrative officials on the phone, but got no response. Later, cops were called, but they also refused to intervene in the matter.
Anil Sharma, who is the Ashiana Upvan president and secretary of the FedAOA, said, “Clarity is missing on the issues pertaining to societies in the new lockdown norms.”
The FedAOA has also sought clarification on the extent to which delivery boys can come inside the society — till the main entrance or the doorsteps of an individual’s home. Also as many people are still found going on morning and evening walks or cycling inside the society complex, the federation has also asked the DM whether it can be allowed after taking precautions like social distancing and wearing masks.
“The administration cannot shun its duty by not issuing any guidelines for societies, absence of which is causing huge confusion among residents and AOAs,” Alok Kumar of FedAOA, said.
District magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey told TOI that domestic helps, car cleaners and mechanics are not allowed in Ghaziabad. “We have issued a detailed list of activities which have been allowed and anything that does not figure in the list obviously means that it has not been allowed,” he said.