Nearly two weeks since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the nationwide lockdown curbing movement of people, the Resident Welfare Assocaitions across the Capital have taken several measures, including calling campaigns to stay in touch and ensuring change of clothes for house helps. People are encouraged not to step out and if they do, they are asked to go back, the RWAs said.
In East Delhi, a campaign has been launched by the RWA in an attempt to ensure that people talk to each other even as they are at home. B.S. Vohra, resident of Krishna Nagar and president of East Delhi RWA Joint Front Federation, said that they have named the campaign #LockDownCallNow. “It’s Lockdown all over due to COVID-19. We can’t meet each other but can at least talk with our friends and relatives over phone. Don’t stop interacting. Pick your phone and call now,” read a WhatsApp message sent to everyone on several RWA groups here.
Mental health
Talking about the campaign, Mr. Vohra said that it has been initiated to ensure people don’t feel low. “If this continues and people don’t step out and don’t interact, one can go into depression also. Therefore, taking care of mental health, we are running this campaign. I, too, call my neighbours and relatives everyday,” he said.
Mr. Vohra also said that all the street vendors who come to their colony are allowed only with identity proof. “All the security guards have been asked to check the identity of those entering and also where they’re coming from,” he said.
Meanwhile, a South Delhi locality’s RWA has come up with strict rules during lockdown, including house helps changing clothes once they enter a house.
Senior citizens
Sangita Thukral, president of Chittaranjan Park’s (M&P Blocks) RWA, said that while house helps who are not permanently staying in the house are prohibited from coming in, only those who work at the residence of senior citizens are allowed and that too, on alternative days. “They have been asked to keep a change of clothes at the residence. They come, take shower, change, do the work, change again and then leave,” she said.
Apart from this, Ms. Thukral said that only authorised street vendors are allowed to enter the colonies and are provided with hand sanitisers, gloves and masks in case they don’t have already. “They can come in from 8 a.m.- 11 a.m.,” she said. In addition, the main gates of the colonies are opened only between 8.15 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. for people to step out for milk and daily groceries, she said.
Movement passes
In a locality in central Delhi’s Jama Masjid area, the RWA is of the opinion that movement passes should have been issued to members of the association to let them help the people in need. Mohammed Sabir, Dujana House RWA president, said, “The government and NGOs are ensuring that they are all fed. But if someone has an emergency, we are unable to help them with movement. They should have provided RWA members with movement passes.”
All RWAs said that situation has “eased up” as compared to the initial days of the lockdown and while they didn’t get newspapers in the beginning, they have now started getting them delivered. Mr. Vohra said that they didn’t get the newspapers for the first three days but have been getting after that. Ms. Thukral said that they started getting papers only two days ago. Mr. Sabir, however, said that they still haven’t started getting the newspapers. “We have to depend on TV. In Jama Masjid area, people mostly bought from street vendors and they are not sitting. Those who deliver come from far off places and find it tough to move,” he said.
Talking about how the situation has changed “a little bit” in the last few days, Sanjeev Baruah, resident of South Delhi Alaknanda, said that food delivery has begun now. “The delivery boys, however, are stopped at the gate and one has to go fetch the parcel,” he said. Mr. Baruah, however, shared that not having a house help is a problem for his 93-year-old mother who stays with him, however, her permanent attendant “is a great help”.
In west Delhi’s Rajouri Garden, newspapers started after initial hiccups and also, vegetable vendors who were earlier not allowed to come are now being allowed, said Jatin Gandhi, an RWA member.
