The maidservants have invariably become an integral part of every household in a metropolitan city. Our dependence on them is as much as theirs on us if not more. But it has become very necessary to verify the credentials before trusting them into our houses. Though majority of these service providers are poor hardworking people, trying to earn a dignified livelihood for themselves; and need to be respected. But a whole gang of people might be operational in your neighbourhood which is not here to offer their services as maidservants but to steal and loot. It had happened in many parts of Noida but also in a couple of Societies in 78.
A resident needed domestic help for a full day. Mostly such needs are fulfilled through our local grapevine. This lady asked the other maidservants working in the neighbourhood to help find one for her. Two women turned up at her residence. While one said she would work, the other wanted to wait for some time. After finishing a little work the newly appointed maidservant asked if she could go to drop the other woman off as she was new and did not know the directions. They went off only not to return. And the gold bangles were missing from the drawer in the room where she had briefly worked.
In yet another case, a maidservant was working in a house and quietly stealing things and storing them in another house. The idea may have been to take away the things all at once when she could get a chance. It was suspected that she was either friends or related to a driver working in the same Society. How easy would have been to put the loot in the car and drive away since security would only check on maidservants walking out?
We have always employed maidservants and drivers through grapevine and word of mouth. But it is high time that these need to be employed only after verifying their credentials. A regular meeting of the management committee with the residents to sensitize and encourage them to report suspicious activities should be taken up. Verification of all personnel regularly entering the premises including household employees viz. servants, maids, drivers, dhobis, vegetable, contract labour, and employees of firms providing Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs), dependents of servants, hawkers and so on by local police is a must. Issuing photo identity cards and maintaining a central record of all household employees with the management office is another step towards better safety and security.
