‘Covid norms with special kids impossible’

LUCKNOW: Social distancing norms and 50 per cent cut in staff have added to the woes of the shelter homes dealing with special children

LUCKNOW: Social distancing norms and 50 per cent cut in staff have added to the woes of the shelter homes dealing with special children. Those who run these homes say maintaining social distance is impossible while dealing with special children. Some NGOs that are running shelter homes for special children, have also approached the women and child welfare department demanding exemption.

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“The city has many shelter homes. But ours is one that deals with special children. Maintaining social distance while handling special children is next to impossible,” said SS Dhapola, owner of Nirvan shelter home.

Dhapola said the special children solely depended upon the staff for their daily chores, be it changing of clothes, feeding or any other day to day activity. “The government’s 50 per cent cut in staff order too is adding to our woes as in such a situation we cannot afford to reduce our staff, especially in times of pandemic,” Dhapola added.

The situation is no different at Drishti—another shelter home dealing with special children. Officials here said that maintaining social distancing was an impossible task while caring for special children. But they said that in such a case, they were ensuring that 20 of their regular staff stayed at the shelter home itself, in order to avoid any contact with the outsiders.

However, the women and child development department (WCD) that governs all the shelter homes is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring strict implementation of Covid 19 guidelines at the shelter homes in UP.

As per the records with the district administration, the city has around 31 homes in the city, including observation homes and women shelter homes. “The number includes 8 government run shelter homes and 23 private ones. In all the homes there are around more than 90 employees,” an official said.

Jai Pal Verma, who has the charge of the district probation officer (DPO) said they were strictly following WCD orders. “We have curtailed the staff, restricted entry of the outsiders, imposed restriction on routine inspections, made masks compulsory for the inmates and have made the roster for the regular staff,” said Verma.

He said they were also conducting regular Covid check-ups of the shelter home staff and children.

Last year, a Kanpur shelter home hogged the headline, with a Covid-19 positive employee reportedly passing on the infection to other 57 inmates.