Allahabad:

Fairer sex in Sangam city are now taking up jobs in areas once considered a man’s domain. Defying standard gender stereotypes, for the first time in Allahabad, a petrol pump boasts of as many as three girls working as attendants.

The girls, Meghna Srivastava (B.Com), Poonam Kumari (class X ) and Sarita Tyagi (BA), believe it’s only hard work that counts.

Working at a city-based petrol pump, they say they’ve never had second thoughts about their choice of profession. Working the 10 am-5 pm shift, Meghna also looks after the account work.

“I have been working here for past year and a half and I’ve never faced any gender discrimination,” she said.

On being asked whether they have ever been teased or stalked, the girls say they’ve always conducted themselves with dignity and have never faced any such problems. The number of women customers has also increased, they said.

Poonam and Sarita, who started working here two months ago say they have their family support which makes work a lot easy.

Manager of the petrol pump, Prakash Chandra, says, “Lucknow was the first city where a petrol pump had girls as attendants. But the exercise could not go on for long. Later, another petrol pump in Allahabad also tried but failed.”

However, he says, people have appreciated their effort to promote women.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / April 25th, 2016