Maids not allowed to use lift, strike work

Mohali, December 29

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Maids working in the Gulmohar Trends Housing Complex in Dhakoli, Zirakpur, brought the society to a halt today as they struck work over not being allowed to use the lifts.

Notably, they have been disallowed to use the lifts for the past two months. Some of the maids alleged that they were asked to pay Rs 500 as fine or apologise after they were caught using the lifts.

One of them even alleged that she was asked to pull her ears and apologise for using a lift. The society has 317 flats up to the sixth floor besides some independent duplexes.

According to reports, the society’s executive committee had passed a resolution at its general body meeting on December 13 that vendors and maids would not be allowed to use the lifts to save electricity and preserve the lifts, which were 10-year-old.

Later, some women, who felt harassed after the maids did not show up for work, gathered at the gates where the maids were holding a sit-in and supported them. They also argued with KR Sharma, who had recently retired from the Haryana Sports Department and is now serving as the society head for the past two years.

The protest continued for around five hours before the maids dispersed until the “ban” was revoked.

Sharma said the decision of not allowing maids and vendors to use the lifts was taken at the general body meeting of the association. Pregnant women and the disabled could, however, use the lifts . The lifts were about 10-year-old and the person who maintained these had warned that overuse of the lifts might require a maintenance expenditure of Rs 10 lakh to 12 lakh.

He said talks were held with the protesting maids later in the day and it had now been decided that they could use the lifts while going up and the stairs while coming down.

Sharma, however, denied that any maid was asked to pay a fine of Rs 500 or pull her ears. — OC