Maharashtra Cooperation Minister on Friday, June 19, cautioned housing societies against deliberately stopping the entry of maids, milk and vegetable sellers, and newspaper vendors, and stated that such restrictions may attract legal actions.
Mumbai Mirror reported that minister Balasaheb Patil issued the statement after receiving complaints about housing societies, especially in Mumbai and Pune.
Reports suggest that the management committees of such housing societies are forming and implementing their own rules to regulate the movement in and out of society, in an attempt to keep the premises COVID-19-free.
Patil added that unjustified discrimination against the residents who have either contracted or recovered from the novel coronavirus will also attract legal action.
‘There are cases of senior citizens who live alone and can’t get the help they need – say from a cook – because the societies deny entry to outsiders. They also prevent those selling milk, vegetables and newspapers from entering. They should all be allowed in. The centre and the state have issued some guidelines for societies, which should be followed,’ said the minister.
‘You cannot discriminate against your own members on the basis of Covid. Such societies will face legal action,’ he added.
The state cooperation minister told The Hindu that as restrictions on the movement of personnel are gradually getting lifted, the resumption of economic activities are inevitable.
‘ No secretary or governing body of a housing society can issue a diktat to stop the entry of individuals. It will attract legal action if reported to the authorities,’ he said.
According to reports, several cooperative housing societies in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and neighbouring areas have banned the entry of domestic help and newspaper vendors to prevent the transmission of the infection.
Furthermore, he said that written guidelines on the statement are scheduled to be issued on Monday, June 22.
