Orphaned by Covid, three siblings get temp succour

SANKHA GHOSH, SNS, SILIGURI, 12 SEPTEMBER 21 : For 19-year-old Munni Thakur, life has thrown before her an unprecedented challenge. The teenager, who is raising her two minor siblings, lost her mother to Covid-19 five months after the death of their father due to the same virus. The sudden demise of their parents has landed the trio in a difficult situation as they struggle to survive now.

Munni, her younger sister Anchal and brother Pankaj live in a rented house at South Bagha Jatin Colony in Siliguri, while their father Arjun Thakur, 75 when he died in December last, was a barber.

"To earn livelihood, my mother started working as a domestic help, but she too contracted Covid -19 and died on 30 May. We were terribly shocked and failed to understand what we should do. They always kept us safe like an umbrella does. We became helpless and it was like the sky was falling on us," said Munni.

However, some Good Samaritans and Red Volunteers did step forward to help the trio when the most needed the succour.

"The challenge was tougher for us in the next few days. We were worried about the uncertain future. We did not know whom to look up to and who would help us, and how could continue staying in the rented house. Another worry was whether we could now go to school. But all of that seems to have ended now, and we are very much grateful to some local persons and Red Volunteers who have been a great support," said 14-year-old Pankaj.

Pankaj and his sister Anchal are students of class VIII at the local Dr I B Thapa Nepali Vidyalaya.

According to a functionary of the Siliguri Red Volunteers, Partha Maitra, they had identified 12 families where children had lost either one or both their parents to the coronavirus infection.

"We have taken up the responsibility of this family. As per our capacity, we are providing them all help, including food stuff and financial support. We will be able to continue their studies and provide food for one more year," Mr Maitra said.

In a programme yesterday organised by the Siliguri Red Volunteers to demand the government take the responsibility of children orphaned by the pandemic, senior advocate and CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Hainan Bhattacharya handed over Rs 10,000 to the three siblings.

According to Anchal, they too wanted the government to look after them.

"We have heard that the government provides compensation for children like us, along with food and free education. We will be in a better position if the government takes our responsibility," the 15-year-old said.

The general secretary of the Darjeeling District Legal Aid Forum, Amit Sarkar, said they had submitted the details of 15 such children to the administration in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts.

The forum carried out a study to identify children who lost either one or both their parents to Covid. The findings were uploaded on the special portal, 'Baal Swaraj-COVID-Care' of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Mr Sarkar said.

He, however, added that there could be many such children who may have failed to obtain death certificates to qualify for government benefits.

"If they manage the certificates, their names will be enlisted for government benefits," he said.