Help maids: FOSWAC to Chandigarh administration

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23

A day after UT Adviser Manoj Parida stated that the RWAs had “no business to decide who’s to be stopped and who’s not to be stopped from entering anyone’s house”, the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC) asked the UT Administration to extend financial help to maids and casual workers.

• Also read: RWAs in Chandigarh can’t block entry of maids, delivery boys
• No respite for maids, delivery boys in Panchkula

A fortnight ago, Parida had advised RWAs to see whether social distancing was being followed. Now, he says we have no business (in stopping entry of maids). Who will check the safety of maids, as they have to go to different houses? — Baljinder Singh Bittu, FOSWAC Chairman

Speaking to Chandigarh Tribune, Pardeep Chopra, general secretary, FOSWAC, said, “It is strange that the government has not stepped in to help people engaged in the informal economy. One cannot be forced to avail of the services of a maid if one doesn’t feel the need for it, especially with the deadly virus around. It can spread from me to my maid too.”

He added, “Ideally, the government should have made a list of maids and gave them salary or ration, which is being done by residents. Why can’t the PM CARES Fund be used for the welfare of the unprivileged?”

While on the one hand, Parida stated that a maid or a resident could make a call to the UT police if they are stopped by the RWAs, not many are brave enough to bell the cat. A resident of Sector 49, requesting anonymity, said, “I live in a society. I will not want to get into trouble with the RWA president by going against the majority sentiment. If people don’t want my maid to enter the colony, I can’t fight them and invite hate.”

On the other hand, maids are too scared to become the target of both RWAs and the police.

A domestic help said, “If I call up the police, both RWA and my employer will trouble me. Moreover, who would want to fight a case?”

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