Around 25 babies of gypsies, whose livelihood has been wiped out during lockdown, are craving for milk.
The 110 gypsy families in Poonga Nagar in Valliyoor, who are living in 38 concrete houses, each measuring 323 square feet, and the rest in tents, have lost their livelihood of selling artificial ornaments in the bus stands and also during temple festivals ever since the lockdown was promulgated on March 25.
As the State Government announced COVID – 19 relief to the poor, each gypsy family received 6 kg rice on two occasions till March 30 while a few people from Valliyoor gave 20 kg rice and vegetables to each family.
Since most of these nomadic families do not have Aadhaar card and the ration card, the official machinery cannot give them the relief as allowed by the government.
“Of the 110 families here, only 36 have got the smartcards that enable them to get essential commodities from the ration shop while others are battling with hunger,” said Mohan, a gypsy.
Though 54 gypsies of Poonga Nagar have been enrolled in the Gypsy Welfare Board, the COVID – 19 relief of ₹ 1,000 is yet to be paid in their bank account.
“We visited the bank on a few occasions to draw this assistance. But the bank officials told us that the amount is yet to be remitted in our account,” said gypsy Pandi Durai.
Consequently, most of the gypsy families of Poonga Nagar are in dire straits during this lockdown. The agonising part is that they cannot buy even milk for their babies, all aged below 2 years.
“There are 25 babies in our colony below the age of 2. While we can give rice or gruel to the children above the age of two or three, the babies are crying all the time in hunger as we cannot buy milk as we don’t have money. So we’re giving the babies black coffee that often causes stomach upset to the babies,” says Roja, a gypsy having an 18-month-old baby.
When a social activist, who is helping the gypsy families during the lockdown by roping in a few sponsors, called a second-rung official coordinating the COVID – 19 relief works in the district in a bid to ensure milk supply to the gypsy children, he replied: “We’ve given everything to the gypsies... There are more people who are poorer than the gypsies”.
Hence, the social activist pooled in a group of people from Valliyoor, who have given money to a milk supplier for giving milk to the gypsy children for the next 15 days.
“If the lockdown continues even after 15 days, you please call me on the 13th day and get our contributions for giving milk to the gypsy children till May-end,” the social activist has requested the milk supplier.