House helps, service personnel permitted in societies, high rises: Gautam Buddh Nagar admin

Entry of domestic helps, drivers and service personnel is permitted into societies and high rises in Noida and Greater Noida and RWAs can only impose restrictions to enforce certain rules, including compulsory wearing of masks and thermal screening, officials said on Wednesday.

Amid queries by residents and resident welfare associations (RWAs) of the twin cities near Delhi over regulations on entry of house helps, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said all activities which are not prohibited or controlled, are treated as "permitted".

Entry of domestic helps and other service personnel were prohibited in the district as precautionary measure ever since the lockdown came into force to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district administration recently eased some curbs, including movement of domestic helps.

However, no such movement is allowed in or out of containment zones. Inside containment zones these activities are not permitted, the administration said.

"Consent of both the house resident and the service personnel/maid, etc as the case may be, is must," it added.

"RWAs can only impose restrictions to the extent of enforcing guidelines of compulsory wearing of face cover, compulsory sanitisation, thermal screening and precautionary measures to ensure community hygiene," according to the statement.

It said RWAs can also set up an internal system to regulate the number of people who can enter a lift, awareness regarding social distancing and hand sanitisation points.

The RWAs have also been advised to balance community hygiene and convenience of individual residents.