Madhya Pradesh / 5 siblings aged 8 months-7 years forced to beg after being orphaned by COVID in MP

Bhind: Five minor siblings whose parents passed away due to COVID-19 in Bhind in Madhya Pradesh are facing tough times as they struggle to get food and await the benefit of the government schemes.

The hard circumstances have forced them to beg for food. They stay in a broken hut in Amaha village and the locals say that they also take shelter under a shed in a nearby crematorium when it rains.

The eldest the siblings is 7 and the youngest is 8-months-old. Of the five, three are girls. Local residents provide them with some support. The locals said that the grandfather of the children does not stay with them.

Panchayat secretary of Amaha village, Ashok Para, told ANI that one the of reasons for difficulty in providing government schemes is because the children do not possess valid identity documents.

"It is a difficult situation. They are filling their stomachs by asking for food from villagers. They do not have Aadhaar card or any other document to take benefit from government schemes. I am hopeful that the administration will provide them help," he said.

Raghavendra Valmiki, the father of the five kids, was a rickshaw puller and succumbed to COVID-19 in February this year. His wife Girija died of the infectious virus in May.

Nisha is the eldest of all, followed by 5 year-old Babu Raja, 3-year-old Manisha, 2-year-old Anita and 8-months-old Golu.

Lahar MLA Dr Govind Singh, who had recently visited the village in order to attend a programme, has promised to help the children and provide shelter among other things.

Bhind's Collector Sathish Kumar S said they are planning to shift children to shelter home soon.

"A team of women and child development has gone to Amaha village where 5 children are residing after their parents passed away. Their grandfather is being counselled. The priority is to shift these children to shelter home soon," he said.