Delhi government allows self-employed, RWAs are cautious



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New Delhi Delhi Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that his government was allowing independent workers, including domestic help, those involved in laundry services, technicians, electricians and plumbers, to operate in the national capital since Monday, when The third phase of the national closure ends. coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is activated with considerable relaxation.

The Delhi government launched its implementation strategy on guidelines published by the Union Interior Ministry, and Kejriwal said the Capital will follow the closure restrictions imposed by the Center. However, he urged the central government to lift restrictions in areas of the capital that have largely been unaffected by the disease. The Union government announced on Friday that the shutdown, necessary for the infectious outbreak, would last two weeks until May 17.

Detailing the Delhi government’s plan at a press conference on Sunday, Kejriwal said: “People who are self-employed – technicians, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, sanitation personnel, people who work as domestic help, laundry, dhobis – people like these have permission to work. “

The Delhi CM also said that print and electronic media, IT-related services, call centers, data centers, warehousing services, cold warehouses, private security companies and industrial estates with control of access may also remain open.

Elevator technicians, AC mechanics, vehicle mechanics, generator mechanics and TV mechanics will also be able to work from Monday. On March 23, the Delhi Prime Minister announced a total blockade in the Capital to contain Covid-19, which has severely affected metropolises around the world, days before the central government announced similar restrictions across the country.

While public health experts say the blockade was necessary to control the disease out of control, there have been concerns about stagnation in economic activity. Kejriwal said on Sunday that Delhi reported large losses of income and that it was important to reopen areas largely outside the spectrum of the pathogen to ensure that people do not travel back to their places of origin due to lack of employment. There are currently 94containment areas in the national capital.

The Delhi CM said that people were losing jobs and that traders suffered because there was no business. However, he reiterated the Center’s rule that people are not allowed to leave their homes for 7 p.m. non-essential activities. at 7 a.m.

Kejriwal said government offices and private facilities with 33% staff will open starting Monday, but the suspension of air, metro and bus travel will continue. The delivery of essential goods through e-commerce portals will continue in the national capital, he said.

“The shopping malls, cinemas, lounges, market complexes and the Delhi metro will remain closed, while stores selling essential items will continue to be open,” he said, adding that 50 people will be allowed to enter the marriage function. The movement of people and vehicles is allowed only for permitted activities, with a maximum of two people (in addition to the driver) in four-wheeled vehicles, and without a passenger in the case of two-wheeled vehicles.

Shortly after Kejriwal’s announcement, Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) in Delhi said they were open to allowing electricians and plumbers to enter residential complexes, but expressed concern over domestic help to resume work.

Rajiv Kakria, coordinator of the Save Our City campaign, said the Delhi government’s decision came just a day after the city reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases in a single day. “If the government ensures that the situation is favorable and that there are no movements from the containment areas, then it can be alleviated. But it is better to wait and see how the situation develops, “he said. “Domestic help works in at least 5-6 households … It is risky, especially now that the cases are spiraling,” he added.

Madhur Srivastava, President of RWA, DDA Colony of Sector-4 in Dwarka, said: “We have a designated electrician, a plumber and a person who irons clothes. We used to allow residents to use services from abroad, but that will be strictly prohibited now. A person’s convenience cannot be the reason to risk other residents. At the same time, we cannot suspend these services because people have started going to work and will have to iron their clothes, etc. “

The Delhi government, according to RWAs, has allowed self-employed people to work, but without anticipating their journey. “Public transportation is not allowed, so how are they going to get there?” said Atul Goyal, president of URJA, a united front of an RWA group in Delhi.

Reacting to the latest relaxations, Dr. Lalit Kant, former director of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), said: “When these people come for one, they should make sure to wear a mask while working and washing their hands before starting work. If there are older people or children at home, then they should be kept away since the chances of getting the infection are high in case the domestic help is infected but is asymptomatic. “

Dr. Jugal Kishore, chief of community medicine at Safdarjung Hospital, appreciated the government’s decision to allow self-employed people to work as domestic help. “This decision will help both, as there are people, especially the elderly, who find it difficult to manage the home without any help. It will also provide financial stability to domestic support. People should teach them how to protect themselves from the disease. “

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