Atleast 349 children have either lost one or both their parents in Haryana due to the deadly COVID-19 virus.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began last year has claimed over 8800 lives in Haryana rendering 91 children orphaned while 258 are left with a single parent. Many of these hapless children are now either living with their grandparents, extended family or shifted to a child care institution in the state, as per the government's record.
For instance, a three-month old baby girl and her seven-year old brother in Rohtak lost their parents to COVID-19 in May and are now living with their grandmother. In Rewari district also, two teenage siblings lost both their parents to the fatal virus in May and are living with their maternal grandmother.
Similarly in Jhajjar district, a grandmother is raising her teenage grandson and granddaughter, who lost their mother to COVID in May and their father in February last year. Two sisters including a 9 year-old and a 13-year old in Sirsa are under the care of their extended family after losing their parents to COVID in April this year.
A 17-year-old boy in Faridabad had to be sent to a child care institution as he lost both his parents in May and there was no guardian to look after him.
There are numerous such heart-breaking stories of loss and grief as the deadly second wave of COVID-19 ravaged the state and caused great emotional, psychological, financial and social distress to children.
“According to the data uploaded on 'Bal Swaraj' portal till now, 91 children including several siblings were orphaned and 258 children were left with a single parent due to COVID-19 in Haryana,” said Jyoti Bainda, chairperson,Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) while talking to The Pioneer.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had devised the online tracking portal 'Bal Swaraj'(COVID-care link) to track children who have lost both their parents or abandoned during COVID-19 pandemic.
Jyoti said that in many cases, orphaned children are either living with their grandparents or with extended family (uncle and aunt).
The verification of the cases of orphaned children is currently being done by the HSCPCR. We are verifying all the cases to ensure that children who have either lost both parents or the earning parent due to Covid-19 are being taken care of, she said.
The HSCPCR chairperson further said that COVID-19 has left a large number of children orphaned and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Hence, the concerned district child welfare committees have been given directions to track the children in need of care and report such cases where children have lost both parents, a single parent or are needed to be shifted to a child care institution, she added.
The Commission had last month written a letter to the state's Director General of Police requesting the Police Department to alert all special juvenile police units about the posts on social media platforms on illegal adoption of children orphaned due to COVID-19 and try to curb these illegal adoptions taking place as this can result in child trafficking.
Notably, Haryana Government has announced monthly financial assistance for children in non-institutional care with Rs 2,500 per child aid to be given to families taking care of orphaned children due to COVID-19. This aid will be given till the children turn 18 years old. A sum of Rs 12,000 will be deposited in the bank accounts of such children every year as other expenses till the children attain the age of 18 years.
In case of adolescent girls orphaned due to COVID-19, free residential education will be provided in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. A sum of Rs 51,000 will be credited in the accounts of orphan girls under the Mukhya Mantri Vivah Shagun Yojana and at the time of their marriage, this amount along with interest will be given to them.