- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
Several children in India have lost their parents in the devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and Mahi is one such unfortunate girl. A student of Class 6, she has started selling ready-made shirts outside her house in Khirni Bagh area of Shahjahanpur district of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, drawing attention of the local people and police.
Mahi found herself in a difficult situation after her father Pradip Kumar, the family’s sole bread-earner, died of Covid in April. He used to run the garment business by installing four sewing machines and getting the work done with help of some tailors. The 45-year-old tested Covid positive a couple of months ago and after having high fever for three days, he was admitted to a government medical college where he died on April 30. His surviving family of four found themselves in dire straits and with no help from any quarters, Mahi was forced to set up a shop outside their house and sell the shirts that were left in stock.
“We have been facing hardships ever since my father died. My grandfather is over 70 and has not been keeping well. Since there was no help available, we decided to sell the shirts which were lying in the house stitched,” Mahi told PTI.
The girl also recalled the days when her father was alive and used to bring her ice creams and pastries daily. But life has changed for them now, she said.
Local police and administration help Mahi’s family
Ashok Pal, the in-charge of the local Sadar Bazar Police Station, sent officials to learn about the hapless family’s hardships after noticing Mahi sitting in a shop alone. “I came to know that her father died of Covid infection sometime ago so the girl has to sell shirts on the footpath. Taking the immediate needs of the family into consideration, necessary things have been sent to them,” he said, adding that he has assured all help to the family.
The matter has also come to the notice of Shahjahanpur District Magistrate Indra Vikram Singh. “I have come to know of this matter. Information regarding the children who have been rendered orphans or lost the earning members of their family is being gathered. They will be given Rs 4,000 per month by the government till they reach the age of 18 years. This money will be given to their guardians,” he told PTI. The DM also said that a team is working on such cases and those that have come to the notice of the administration till June 25 will be dealt with. He also said that school-going children will be granted admission in government schools.
A local journalist also reached out to people through social media to help the girl following which some social organisations came forward to help her family by paying its electricity bill and supporting it through other means.
Shahjahanpur was in news recently for another of its daughter who stole the limelight by helping the needy with oxygen cylinders. The 26-year-old woman named Asha ferried the cylinders on her scooter and people fondly called her “cylinder waali bitiya” (the girl with the cylinder).
