To,
Shri Uddhav Thackeray
Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Respected Sir,
This is with reference to the Lockdown announced on Sunday, 4th April 2021.
We appreciate government’s decision to impose strictest measures to curb the Covid 19 pandemic’s second wave in the country.
We, ASIRT – Association of Systems Integrator and Retailers in Technology, are a trade association representing 200+ members across Mumbai Metropolitan Region and parts of Maharashtra. Our members provide Information Technology Cyber Security & Surveillance related Goods and Services to Government, Corporate, Public Limited Companies, Industries, Private Offices, Professionals, Education Institutes and NGOs.
All the organisations, be it Government or private enterprises or small businesses, today depends on Information Technology (IT) for their smooth operations and hence will need IT Goods and Services even during the lockdown period. It is observed that all the private offices are to be closed with effect from 8pm of 5th April 2021 and they are encouraged to work from home (WFH). Even to enable WFH, they will require IT Services. Sir, it is imperative that Information Technology, as a backbone for all the essential services, including the common citizen’s day to day IT needs, be recognized as an Essential Service.
CCTV is also a critical security component being implemented by Government for visual surveillance. This also needs to be up and running under all circumstances and thus needs immediate and continuous support. Some of our members are active in installing and maintaining such installation across the Mumbai region.
Hence, we hereby request as below:
1. Include Information Technology and Security Goods and Services in the Essential Services list.
2. Issue special passes to staff of organisations providing IT services.
3. Allow travel of IT service staff by buses & trains.
We are all law-abiding citizens and have been following all the norms put down by government from time-to-time and will continue to follow the same. Our members have been through very tough times in last lockdown. And even our customers from essential and WFH customers were affected as we could not service them during earlier lockdown period.
We sincerely request you to consider above and include IT and Security Goods and Services in Essential List.
We are with the government in the fight against Covid-19 and extend our full support in this endeavour.
Thanks & Regards,
Tushar Parekh
Chairman | ASIRT