The Young working couples with their kids in Durgapur are facing great difficulties to continue their jobs for want of a Crèche.
With increased opportunities for employment for women and the need to supplement household income more and more women are entering the job market. With the breaking of joint family system and the increased phenomenon of nuclear families, working women need support in terms of quality, substitute, care for the young children while they are at work. There has, however been no such crèche/day care facilities resulting in failure to meet the needs of working mothers in terms of extend, content and quality of services in this industrial sector till now, though the avenue of working facilities are growing day by day in many malls, hotels and many such places. Presently Crèche or Day Care services are not only required by working mothers but also women belonging to poor families who require support and relief from childcare as they struggle to cope with burden of activities, within and outside the home for various purposes.
“Durgapur-Asansol industrial area is fast emerging as the most favoured destination for the industrialists. Almost daily people are seeing various ‘foundation stone laying’ ceremony of some small or large industries or the inauguration of some multifarious organizations, institutions, mall or hotels and the like. As a result job opportunities in this area is also increasing day by day and men and women from far away places are coming here with their jobs on transfer or afresh and setting in this city. Gone are those days when women employees were rare in this area. The few employed either in DSP or in some Schools got more time to look after their children and the other members of their family in those days. But the present scenario is completely different. Now it is seen in Durgapur that a number of newly married couples are working either in Private Banks, Super Malls and Hotels or in other industries and even performing late night jobs in BPO Centers. Since the practice of living in joint families in this city has become a thing of past, all the working couples are facing a great problem to look after their children and their life is becoming unbearable for want of a good crèche here in Durgapur” – says the officials of NGOs.
On the other hand due to various menial job opportunities in this industrial sector, availability of fulltime maids and ayahs has become scarce and for want of a whole timer their life is becoming more problematic to keep their siblings in home under the motherly care of some responsible persons. Sangita Haldar, with her two years daughter, working in a Retail Shop says, “I am feeling much difficulty to continue my job. Since the nature of our jobs is very hectic, I feel it absolutely difficult to continue my service. My daughter is getting elder and becoming restless. Now she wants the care of some responsible person. My husband remains engaged in his business in this city and get no time to spare for his family. After the day longs hectic jobs we become exhausted and domestic problems in home irritate us. ”
B. K. Singh, a retired NGO Officer says, “A Crèche centre must have a minimum space of 6-8 sq. ft. per child to ensure that they can play, rest and learn without any hindrance. The Centre should be clean, well lighted with adequate ventilation. A fan should also be installed in the centre. The centre must have clean toilet and sanitation facility that caters to the needs of small children. There should be adequate safe play area outside the centre also. Within the centre, there should be sleeping facilities for children i.e, mattresses, cradles, cots, pillows and basic infrastructure to meet the requirement of the children. Essential play material and teaching and learning material must be available to meet the needs of pre-school children. The cooking area must be located at the place which is away from the activity area of the children to avoid accidents. ”
Dr. S. R. Bhowmik says, “The centre must at all times be equipped with a basic First Aid Kit containing pediatric medicines for common ailments like fever, vomiting, cough and cold, dehydration, common stomach ailments, minor injuries, ointments, band-aids, cotton wool, disinfectants. The centre must have adequate safe and regular drinking water source. If necessary chlorination or boiling of drinking water must be supplied. Food provided to the children must have adequate nutritional value and there should be variety in the food that is given to the children every day. The food should be acceptable to the babies and children. For this the trained workers should know what the nutritious preparations suitable for babies are and children and they must cook food with due care and cleanliness. Weekly visits by Doctors should be carried out for treatment and check-ups.”
Though Durgapur Steel City is developing in all the fields, but crèche facility is still unavailable here. Various organizations are placing their demands to the Municipal Corporation and to many other benevolent organizations but yet nothing has come out. Same is the view of a good number of working couples in this city having small children and they all think that only a good Crèche can solve such problem.
Mandira Sen, 28, says, “ Things become worst when my husband an employee of ICICI, remains out on official tour or at any Party and I remain engaged at least up to 10 PM in my job at Suhatta Mall in a retail shop.”
“Durgapur is a developed city but I can’t imagine why in this fast age no crèche facility is available. Not only in Kolkata but in many small towns now such facilities are available. Both of us are working and after the day’s hectic jobs definitely we need to get a life instead of remaining home idle to change the nappies of our kids.” – she said further.
‘We need a comprehensive crèche with all the facility and a safe and secure environment where away from home the children would be catered and encouraged to develop their social, physical and cognitive skills. There must be an enclosed outdoor play area and professionally trained staff where the parents like us should feel confident about our children’s’ well care. Money would not be constraint for us is such a situation. All the young couples with their babies like us would surely heave a sigh of relief if in a crèche with all the modern facility is established in this city’ – says Anamika Sen, an employee of HDFC Bank in Durgapur.’
‘In our small quarters or living room children’s are remaining alone under the care of maids and ultimately becoming dull. They do not get any time and even a suitable place to play. In the modern crèche under the care of professional persons our kids would be able to live with many other children of their age and would be encouraged to express themselves freely through playing and other various training. Ultimately they would be able to adopt and learn more new skills and thereby can perform better in schools instead of their confinement in home under the care of some untrained and unlettered maids’ – says Ruma Haldar of B-Zone, Durgapur Steel Township.
Kanchan Kumar Chatterjee.
