BENGALURU: There are 18 Covid orphans in Karnataka. According to government sources, as on May 31, 18 children from 10 districts have been orphaned due to Covid.
“The numbers are likely to go up in the next few days, with fresh data being added,” said an official source.The number of children who have lost both parents are from Bagalkote (three), Raichur (three), Bengaluru Urban (two), Mysuru (two), Bidar (two), Belagavi (two), Kolar (one), Chamarajanagar (one), Davanagere (one) and Mandya (one). All these children have been handed over to their extended and “willing” families by the Child Welfare Committees (CWC) before which they were produced, said sources.
The data of Covid orphans is a “work in progress” and has been collected by the Directorate of Child Protection from Anganwadi workers and district child protection units/ officers for the past 10 days.
The Directorate on Monday sent a new format to CPUs in all districts to provide details of children who were produced before the CWCs after they were orphaned, or were left with a single parent due to Covid, from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021, sources added.
“The Directorate has asked them to submit the format on June 1. There might be some delay because some officials are on medical leave after testing positive,” added the sources.“We have written to all Gram Panchayats to keep a watch on children who may be impacted due to Covid, and may need care and protection,” said Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj, Uma Mahadevan.
The Supreme Court has directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to collate information on children who have been orphaned since March 2020, and upload it on the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) portal. The apex court has instructed states and UTs to take care of their basic needs, like food, shelter and clothing. The court will now hear the case on June 1.
Sources said the Karnataka government will upload updated statistics on Bal Swaraj, the NCPCR portal.
Meanwhile, child rights activists have contested government data on Covid orphans. “The number of Covid orphans could be grossly under reported, given the fact that maximum casualties in the second wave are of people in the 21-55 year age group,” said Vasudev Sharma of Child Rights Trust. He added that the government should also consider children who have lost one parent to Covid, for welfare and relief measures.
“It is difficult to accept that there are only two cases of Covid orphans in Bengaluru Urban, given that the district recorded 50 per cent of cases and casualties in the state,” said another activist, who didn’t wish to be named. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had announced a relief and welfare package for Covid orphans over the weekend.