Nagpur Residential Hotels Association (NRHA) expresses its gratitude to the State Government for opening up the hospitality sector from 15th August 2021, although it’s still not like normal times, but still it’s good enough to carry business and recover some losses incurred during 18 months of lockdown and restrictions. NRHA assures that we have been following all guidelines and protocols, and will continue to do so in the interest & safety of ourselves and our society.
However, on scrutiny of this order dated 11.08.2021, NRHA found that few conditions asked for are not practically and logical at this moment. Thereby a delegation of NRHA led by its president Tejinder Singh Renu met Resident Deputy Collector (RDC) Jagadish Katkar, submitted a memorandum and held discussion.
NRHA also dispatched a memorandum to Uddhav Thackeray – Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar – Deputy Chief Minister and Sitaram Kunte – Chief Secretary, Department of Revenue and Forest, Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation, Government of Maharashtra.
Tejinder Singh Renu, president of NRHA said that this order mandates that entire staff in Restaurant and Banquet Halls should be fully vaccinated for an additional 14 days after the 2nd dose. This is certainly a good requirement; however we need to realize that the majority of staff, waiters, and room-boys are between the age group of 18-45. In our country, vaccination for this age group started from 1st May 2021. Mostly staff took 1st dose in May end & June as initially they feared a lot and we had to convince and coordinate to get them vaccinated. So if anyone took a jab of Covishield on 1st June, his next dose will fall in the last week of August; thereafter a gap of 14 days means, fully vaccinated on 15th September 2021. How can this period be medically and technically reduced? Who will pay their salary, if they are unfit to work? What about such business houses? If they remain closed, will they receive any compensation?
Deepak Khurana – secretary of NRHA pointed out that similarly keeping 2 windows or doors open in air-conditioned restaurants isn’t practical as most of the star category restaurant units are situated in enclosed positions; likewise few small units may not follow this.
Dr. Ganesh Gupta, vice president of NRHA requested that the requirement of 1st dose of vaccination should be made mandatory, which can be converted into fully vaccinated from 1st January 2022. So that by then everyone gets the time to get vaccinated as availability of vaccination and free will still remains a major issue. Likewise, window door open closure shouldn’t be mandatory.
RDC Jagadish Katkar assured that the Collector office will forward this memorandum to Mantralaya including our remarks as these are policy decisions, the competent authority needs to take the decision and amend the order accordingly.
