BHOPAL: The state government has announced financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to the family of those who died due to corona, in the second wave. But, so far, there is no announcement for any assistance to families who lost their members during the first wave of the pandemic.
Some have termed the government’s decision as unfair, whimsical and discriminatory against those families who lost their loved ones in the first wave.
These families also seek compensation saying they too lost their family member/s in the first wave. The least the government can offer is some financial assistance.
Free Press spoke to the relatives of those who lost their loved ones in the first wave and all of them said that if the reason of death is the same, then compensation too should be the same.
Some families have lost their sole bread earners due to corona in the first wave. But, they neither received any help then nor is the government thinking about them now.
Ranjana Tiwari, a resident of Mata Mandir says their father had died back in 2011 and they were living with their mother who was working in bungalows for their livelihood.
Her mother Gulab Bai Tiwari had died on May 15, due to corona in Hamidia hospital. Her sister discontinued her studies as now they had no income, she says. We are not even getting the rations as promised by the government as our form for eligibility is yet to be verified, says the 24-year-old girl.
If the government extends any financial help, at least they get some support, says Tiwari who is awaiting divorce from her husband.
Mohammad Aizaz, who lost his newborn baby and wife on May 27, 2020, asks why the government is not extending them any financial help if the reason for his wife’s death is corona.
His wife died within 12 hours of her delivery. The 24-year-old woman was admitted to Hamidia hospital after contracting corona.
When the government is helping families of those who died due to corona this year, it should think of us as well, he says.
Rajendra Singh, a resident of Baghmugalia says his wife died on December 5 in AIIMS Hospital.
Singh says he lives with his two daughters and now he is solely managing the house. If the government can extend some financial help, it would be a support for their education, he says.
Rachna Dhingra, a social worker in Bhopal says this is a clear case of discrimination among its citizens by the state government. It defies logic that only those who have died in the second wave will be given any monetary compensation and all people who have died due to the pandemic should be compensated, she says.
The ones whose clinical symptoms of corona were suspected should also be given the compensation, says Dhingra.
