This story is from December 1, 2020

Delhi’s poor find it tougher to make ends meet as Covid-19 meets official apathy

Economic distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the inadequate response of the authorities, resulted in hunger and food insecurity for the working poor and the marginalised communities in Delhi. The challenges they faced were narrated by slum dwellers, daily wage workers, homeless people and widow-headed households at an online hearing conducted by Delhi Rozi Roti Abhiyan on Monday.
Delhi’s poor find it tougher to make ends meet as Covid-19 meets official apathy
No succour for the ‘lesser mortals’
NEW DELHI: Economic distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the inadequate response of the authorities, resulted in hunger and food insecurity for the working poor and the marginalised communities in Delhi. The challenges they faced were narrated by slum dwellers, daily wage workers, homeless people and widow-headed households at an online hearing conducted by Delhi Rozi Roti Abhiyan on Monday.

Soni, a mother of five, was hit hard by the Covid lockdown. The domestic help and her husband, a shop delivery person, together earned Rs 15,000 every month. “But we have been out of work since the lockdown,” said Soni. “Since I don’t have a ration card, I applied for an e-coupon but received food grains just once. We also have to pay a rent of Rs 3,500.” Having accumulated a debt of Rs15,000. Soni was forced to ask her Class XI son to start working and help the family survive.
Chanchal, a resident of Lal Gumbad Camp in south Delhi, shared, “My three children keep asking for milk, but we cannot afford milk even for tea. They used to get the midday meal in school, but the schools have been closed since March.” Delhi government pays in lieu of meals a monthly Rs 78 per child in upper primary schools and Rs 94.6 per child at the primary level. Chanchal said her two older children received Rs 78 only in July, the youngest nothing till date. While Chanchal has found work recently, she earns a mere Rs 3,000 per month, not adequate for a family of five.
Widowed Rani had bigger problems. After her son and daughter-in-law died, she found herself taking care of her grandchildren. Since the 62-year-old does not have a ration card, she is finding it difficult to feed the family. “I am old and can’t move much. Since I am susceptible to the infection because of my age, the households where I was a domestic worker asked me not to come,” she groaned. “Seeing me helpless, my 14-year-old grandson has started pulling a rickshaw.”
Of more than 50 people who spoke at the public hearing, most said they had put the education of their children on hold for want of smartphones for online classes or because of lack of money for data costs. Several handicapped pavement dwellers from Mazaar Park spoke about their own unique difficulties. Women staying in shelters for the homeless talked about food insecurity, particularly after Delhi government discontinued the scheme for free cooked meals in June.

Pooja, who lives in a shelter near Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in central Delhi, complained how the food department had refused to accept her application for a ration card, insisting she show them her electricity bill even when she explained to them that she was homeless. Many others reported similar roadblocks in getting a ration card because they had no address proof, Aadhaar card or other identity papers.
DRRA executives said Delhi government and the central government should immediately launch a programme to provide rations to the needy irrespective of whether they possessed a ration card or not.
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