PARADIP: A nine-year-old boy has been left to stay with his COVID-infected teenage sister in a one-room house at Nayabazaar in Paradip after both their parents tested positive. The parents are admitted to the COVID care centre in Paradip.
With no one to take care of the children after neighbours shunned them in fear of the virus, both the hapless kids are awaiting help. Even the administration is yet to provide any support. The 39-year-old father of the kids hails from Deulia village under West Bengal's Midnapore district and runs a motor garage at Baliplot in Atharbanki.
He tested positive and was admitted to the COVID care centre on June 10. Later, his wife and their 13-year-old daughter also tested positive. Two days back, the mother was also admitted to the same Covid care centre leaving the two children in their one-room rented house.
Sources said that as Odisha-West Bengal border has been sealed to check the spread of COVID-19, relatives of the family are unable to reach Paradip. The parents had requested their neighbours to look after the kids but they refused in fear of contracting the infection. Now a tuition teacher is providing food to the children.
Local residents said though there are several initiatives to support such children, no one from the administration has come forward to help the two kids. Contacted, executive officer of Paradip Municipality Sourindra Routray expressed his helplessness in the matter. "We do not know how to help them. The administration will take a call on such cases," he added.
District child protection officer Kanhu Charan Rout said there is provision to keep uninfected children in isolation when parents test positive. "We were not aware of this particular case. After taking consent of the parents, steps will be taken to isolate the boy in a safe place and provide care to the infected girl," he added.
Sources said there have been many instances of children being left to fend for themselves after their parents were infected and admitted to COVID hospitals in the district. However, the administration has not come to the rescue of such kids so far.