'Some South Mumbai residents are busy flouting rules'

After cluster cases were reported from two buildings in Malabar Hill, societies have told residents to rely less on help, issued new guidelines

As two high-rises in South Mumbai reported 32 COVID-19 cases days after the city gradually started to get back on its feet, many housing societies in the area rushed to implement their own sets of measures in an attempt to keep the virus at bay.

They have geared up with thermal scanners and foot-operated sanitisers for all non-residents, including house help and drivers, entering the building.

Pic/Bipin Kokate

The residents of the posh housing enclaves of SoBo are still divided on whether or not to allow house helps and drivers in the society. But, they eventually decided not to prevent them from doing their jobs, after much debate and discussion during a video call with Assistant Municipal Commissioner (D ward) Prashant Gaikwad, who gave them a list of preventative measures on Friday.

"We have permitted part-time employees to enter as stipulated by the state government. We have asked society members to apply for a temporary pass for their helpers. But only those living outside of Containment Zones are permitted, so only a few of them have applied for the pass," said Kalpana Sharma, joint secretary of Malabar Apartments. The society has already made arrangements for temperature checks and hand wash.

Arrangement for temperature check has been made at the Mittal Tower in South Mumbai. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Gaikwad, too, asked the societies to take precautionary measures when allowing non-residents in the building, while also pointing out that some residents are brazenly violating the physical distancing guidelines when outside.

"From zilch to very few cases, we have at least 300 infections in the area today. About 30 per cent cases in residential buildings can be attributed to domestic help, housekeeping and security staff," Gaikwad said during the meeting, facilitated by the Nepean Sea Road Citizen Forum with the representatives of the housing societies in Breach Candy, Nepean Sea Road, Malabar Hill, and other areas in South Mumbai.

Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner (D ward)

"Your domestic staff has to follow all the necessary guidelines and have to stay indoors while they are in the society. Also, some residents are walking and jogging in groups, which should not be done," he added.

Gaikwad suggested that if residents have "trepidation about your house help or driver, you can get them tested at a private laboratory." This triggered a barrage of questions, pointing to the need for a doctor's prescription to get the test done. He added, "You can give an undertaking that you suspect this person was in contact with an infected person, and then ask for a test. If they come from a Containment Zone, they can be tested. This is a dynamic and fluid situation."

The Mittal Tower management has installed foot-operated hand sanitiser dispenser for those entering the building. Pic/Suresh Karkera

He told the representative of the Tahnee Heights on Napean Sea Road, which is sealed, "They can go out only for medical emergencies. Arrangements should be made for vendors to drop off essentials at the building gate." "When a building's entire floor is sealed, you have to ensure nobody leaves their house. We are getting complaints that residents are flouting this rule," he added.

To a question about renovation inside flats, Gaikwad said, "Renovation can be done, but workers entering flats will have to follow all guidelines of the society." He also warned citizens "that July is extremely crucial as the rain will be in full spate and bring diseases like malaria and dengue, symptoms of which are similar to that of COVID-19."

Sagar Darshan building in Malabar Hill. File pic/Bipin Kokate

At the end of the 90-minute meeting, Gaikwad asked the office bearers "to become stricter with members." "You can check temperature regularly. If you have fever do not take paracetamol at once, instead see if the fever continues for two-three days. You can have an oximeter to check oxygen levels, for which 95 is the threshold. If it dips to 92-93, one has to be cautious, while below 90 is an alarm."

"Around 150 officer-bearers attended the meeting via zoom," said Napean Sea Road Citizens Forum head Mukul Mehra, adding that the societies have been advised to make their own guidelines, suiting their respective on-ground situation.

Mehra, too, pointed to the need for residents to follow the COVID-19 related guidelines sincerely, "Certain housing societies have been quite liberal and lax during the first phase of unlocking. Matters are in our hands today."

Even in Colaba and Cuffe Parade, housing societies have tightened the preventative measures that were already in place. "There were arguments over the entry of helpers, but there are people who need help. So our society started temperature check and use of sanitizers at the gate. House helps from Containment Zones are not allowed," said Hansu Pardiwala, resident of Maker Tower buildings and joint secretary of Cuffe Parade Residential Association (CPRA).

Providing a helping hand, CPRA President Aditi Jain told mid-day, "We can't deny entry of helpers, but can keep it to a minimum. We have asked the residents to combine their complaints of leakages, AC repairs, etc, so one set of workers can be called for all the jobs. We provide them with PPE kits." "For the helpers, we have asked them not to gather in the common passage or use common toilets. We have asked the residents to let them wait at their houses till it's time for them to go to the next flat."

A member of one of the societies, on condition of anonymity, pointed out the lax attitude of the residents. "Gardens and markets are open where people meet in groups without maintaining safe physical distance. The residents forget that they can also be the carriers of COVID-19 as they go outside, and continue to treat the poor who clean our homes and cook our meals as untouchables and disease carriers."

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