Niggly little problems can turn out to be the most debilitating under certain extreme conditions. That is true of a leaky tap, constantly dripping.
During the lockdown, it sure can be a challenge to find help to fix problems that are mildly exasperating and crippling at the same time. Though plumbers and electricians are counted among those offering essential services and allowed to resume work, there may still be some reluctance on their part to start working and risk an infection.
Nine hundred certified plumbers from across India have so far registered themselves to work during these times, and 15 of them operate in Chennai.
As the time of the article going to print, the list was still being updated.
After the Ministry of Home Affairs permitted the self-employed workforce offering critical services including plumbers to start offering their services again, during these times, the Indian Plumbing Skills Council (IPSC), which is associated with Skill India programme under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), began to create a database of such workers who are ready to take up work during the lockdown.
So, what makes this database special?
IPSC has issued health and safety guidelines that the plumbers workforce should follow while working at residential buildings, hospitals, isolation centres, commercial complexes and establishments.
The advisory includes disinfecting tools and touch points before starting work; disposing of used materials; and encouraging cashless transaction. The plumbers are required to download the Aarogya Setu Mobile App on the phone.
Major General (retd.) T.K. Chadha, chief operating officer, IPSC, says that through its training partners in every state they have been taking up various initiatives to mainstream this workforce.
“Since 2014, we have trained nearly 1 lakh plumbers across India and formed a database of plumbers,” says Chadha.
He says plumbers have been graded depending on the skills and qualifications they posses, and they also posses certification from the Government of India. Based on the assessment, plumbers are graded on various levels. In Chennai, there are 2,000 plumbers who have been trained.
While this move is commendable during these times, plumbers say that as sanitary shops are not open they will be able to offer service for only certain emergency requirements.
For details on the guidelines plumbers must follow and their contact numbers, visit http://www.ipssc.in/covid/#services.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/covid-19-database-of-plumbers-gets-bigger-15-from-chennai/article31438162.ece
