It was with the dream of scripting a brilliant future for his or her youngsters that Shashi Kumar and his spouse Anju moved to Chandigarh in 2008. Shashi labored arduous at his tailoring store at Sarangpur to coach his three youngsters. Little did the household know that their life would flip topsy turvy one scorching day in Might final 12 months when Kumar succumbed to Covid- 19.
Robbed of their sole breadwinner and with no assist forthcoming from the Chandigarh administration below the Parvarish scheme for youngsters of Covid-19 victims, Shashi’s spouse and youngsters had no selection however to depart Chandigarh for Haridwar the place they’re residing with Anju’s widowed mom.
Anju’s plight is an instance of bureaucratic apathy and crimson tape. “I obtained a name from Chandigarh administration simply as soon as, final 12 months. They requested me the main points of my husband’s loss of life, trigger, my monetary place and specifics of my youngsters. I informed them that Shashi was the only real breadwinner and requested for assist however they by no means obtained again,” Anju mentioned.
Anju tried to get some assist from the Haridwar administration when she heard from her neighbours that households who had misplaced their members of the family to Covid have been entitled to a compensation of Rs 50,000.
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PremiumNarrating her ordeal, Anju says, “Once I didn’t hear something from Chandigarh administration, I went to a Seva Kendra in Haridwar with the reference of an individual from our village. They mentioned they wished a Covid-19 loss of life certificates. I gave them the discharge papers however that they had merely written ‘fever’ and never Covid. The official helped me apply for compensation however my declare was rejected.’’ The subsequent time, she went to refill the shape for compensation, she was informed that she didn’t have ration card. “As soon as once more, my declare was rejected …We’re not that educated and don’t know the technicalities,” Anju sighed.
It was in Might 2021 that Anju’s husband Shashi Kumar, developed fever. It was a symptom of Covid-19. When he felt a bit higher, the household headed for his or her native place close to Haridwar. However the second he reached, he began having bother in respiration. He was admitted to hospital for 2 days and died hours after his discharge in Haridwar itself.
Shedding all braveness to return to Chandigarh with completely no supply of incomes, Anju began staying at her mom’s home in Haridwar. When a Chandigarh official referred to as, she regained the hope of returning to the town, nevertheless it was shortlived. Town of her desires has turn into unattainable with the hire of the tiny home in Sarangpur the place she used to reside along with her husband, capturing up from Rs 3000 to Rs 5000. Deserted by her in-laws, Anju and her youngsters are actually on the mercy of others.
“My husband’s brothers by no means got here to test on us for the concern that we’d ask for cash. I used to be pressured to fall again on my widowed mom,” she informed.
It was that point a unit of Hero firm in Haridwar got here to her rescue by providing her ration for six months. “They didn’t know us however they helped, the federal government gave us nothing,” she specified.
Three months after the loss of life of her husband, Anju obtained the names of her three youngsters– Sagar, Sonakshi and Akash — struck off from the Chandigarh authorities colleges. “I had heard that the UT administration would assist educate college students who had misplaced one father or mother to Covid however nobody helped us. I may barely handle to get ration what to speak of paying the hire of a home in Chandigarh. Now my widowed mom is supporting all of us with the assistance of my brother,” Anju mentioned.
Anju has began attempting her hand a tailoring and generally stitches a swimsuit or two. Her youngsters are actually pursuing their training in Haridwar. “My brother is paying the charges of my eldest son, a Class IX scholar in a personal faculty; the youthful ones are in Class VII and V in a authorities faculty. Shashi had large desires for our youngsters, however they’re shattered now. Our life is one large wrestle,” she mentioned.
