Last year NOFAA released recommendations in May- June 2020 to stop the spread of COVID-19 most of them are still relevant in today’s scenario. Most of our recommendations were considered.
The current pandemic requires urgent measures from the administration as well as from welfare associations. AOA can impose only measures and can exercise power only in conjunction with the law. They cannot take any forceful measures against any resident.
The following are the recommendations from NOFAA, with a request to authority, to come up with a final draft , in order to ease the pressure on high rise AOAs.
A. Code of conduct for high rise apartments
1. No congregation ( including religious ) in society premises. In case there is an emergency (e.g. medical), proper social distancing to be maintained.
2. Hand wash, gloves, masks for visitors at the society premises for essential services like internet, plumber , electrician etc
3. Regular fumigation and sanitization of society. Can be carried out by individual societies as well as by Noida Authority. Proper gear and masks for people conducting the same.
4. Residents should be transparent about their health. In case there is a suspect in the apartment , part time maids and drivers should be restricted in that apartment. Person should self quarantine. No visitors should be allowed to that apartment
5. Security staff , drivers ,maids ,domestic helps should have their own plates ,spoons etc and always have a mask on their face .
6.Restriction of casual/recreational/health walks for residents in common pathways of societies . If allowed, AOA cannot monitor /manage the desired social distancing in the residents if a large number of residents decide to come out for walks. If children need to stay at home, we too need to set examples for them. Understanding the reason for closing down parks has been the same.
7. Escalation matrix for AOAs from administration in case the resident does not adhere to the prescribed guidelines
8. All lifts, lobbies , main gates , to be equipped with hand sanitizers .
9. Gym, parks , swings , slides to be closed
10. Use of common taps to be minimized . Common society toilets to be sanitized on a regular basis.
11. Proper waste segregation . Used masks and hand gloves. Waste from quarantined residents/apartments to be collected and disposed separately as per Noida authority guidelines.
12. Caution while handling Milk bags , elevator switches , door knobs, door bell , news paper , car door, shop counter , currency , shoes , grocery items , ATM
13. Resident should not step out of house without a mask for purchase of essentials or for authorised purpose such as those whose profession come under the purview of ” Essential Services ”
14. Infrared thermometer scanning at entry gates
15. AOA to have travel details of all resident
16. We do understand that multiple entries of technicians pose a high risk for residents. AC , refrigerators , RO can be included in essential services subject to well defined protocols for their visit like washing hands at the gate / sanitizing / mask / gloves / branded agencies etc.
17. Telecom services fall under essential services but a well defined protocol for the technicians visiting
18. 24X7 maids / helps should be the responsibility of the resident. Other maids/helps/drivers can be restricted as they work in multiple places and can be high exposure for residents.
B. Other guidelines
1.Point of delivery for e-commerce stores till the main gate . Door to door can be carried out by society volunteers living in the same society. For senior citizens and differently abled separate guidelines.
2. Social distancing to be maintained at society grocery shops. Precautions at the shop counter.
3. Salary payments for staff , drivers, maids and support staff during the lockdown period, efforts should be to provide them with complete salaries. Exceptions can be for case to case basis .
4. Authority guidelines on declaring an area hotspot and sealing of the area . Number of cases , area , etc
C. Guidelines for senior citizens and differently abled
1 . Door to door delivery for senior citizens who do not live with children and do not have 24×7 domestic helps . Door to door delivery for such residents can be made by group of volunteers from within the society
2. Cooking maids can be replaced with volunteers from within the society if the need arises .
3. A cluster of sectors can have a dedicated ambulance for residents unwell
Warm regards
Rajiva Singh,President, NOFAA
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