Riot relief camp in northeast Delhi empties out amid Covid-19 spread

While some of the relief camp residents were anxious over the possibility of being forced out of their temporary shelter and becoming homeless again, a few others appeared content to have moved out with some financial help from the local lawmakers and the Delhi Waqf Board.

Over 1,000 had taken shelter at the Eidgah relief camp in north-east Delhi’s Mustafabad in end-February after communal clashes in February-end claimed 53 lives and over injured 500, but just 60 are still living there till Wednesday noon.

File photo of a man resting outside a relief camp for riot victims in Mustafabad, New Delhi. (HT File Photo)

The rest have moved to their rented accommodations over the past week over apprehensions possible spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that has infected 30 people in the national capital and claimed one life to date, senior Delhi government officials said.

While some of the relief camp residents were anxious over the possibility of being forced out of their temporary shelter and becoming homeless again, a few others appeared content to have moved out with some financial help from the local lawmakers and the Delhi Waqf Board.

Volunteers engaged in relief operations are looking out for rented accommodations for the few who are still living in the camp. “It is dangerous because of the coronavirus pandemic,” said a volunteer deployed at a medical camp in Eidgah.

“But who will give us a house on rent? Now, people are scared of any kind of social interaction, as the entire country is under lockdown,” said one of the camp residents who did not want to be identified.

Illiyas Khan, another relief camp resident who moved out earlier this week, said: “It was difficult to get a house on rent but the volunteers were very helpful.”

Abhinandita Mathur, advisor to deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and also in charge of the relief operation control room, said: “Nobody has been forced out. Around 80% of the relief camp residents have received their ex-gratia compensation. The rest will receive it this week. Besides, they have received compensations ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 from local lawmakers and the Waqf Board, depending on their family size and the specifications of the accommodations they’re taking up on rent amid the Covid-19 outbreak.”

She added that the Delhi government’s priority is to keep people safe during the rehabilitation process.