By TCN News,
Loni, Ghaziabad: Left to survive on their own, dozens of families who fled the rioted affected areas of Western Uttar Pradesh and now living in Loni neighbourhood in the outskirts of New Delhi are facing severe problem with winter knocking the doors in north India.
Voluntary group India Wisdom Foundation (IWF) visited the area on Saturday to meet the survivors of anti-Muslim riots that hit Muzaffernagar, Shamli and Baghpat districts in August-September. People in large numbers fled these districts and took shelter in madrasas in Loni in Ghaziabad. About 5,000 people are living in rented or free accommodation provided by the locals here.
IWF volunteers Ehtasham Khan, Nizam Ansari and Md Haroon distributing blankets at Madrasa Kashiful Uloom in Loni, Ghaziabad, on Saturday.
Chilling winds in the morning and evening has made life difficult for the riot survivors who left everything in their villages and fled to save lives.
“Winter has begun. We don’t have warm clothes or blankets to protect ourselves. We are more concerned about our children. They do not have proper clothes,” said Farida of Lakh village of Shamli district.
She has been living in a rented house in Loni with five children ever since the riots broke out. Her husband works as daily wage labourer here. Once in a week, he goes to meet the patwari of his village to seek compensation announced by the government.
Farida adds, “Government has announced Rs.5 lakh as compensation. But the patwari is asking for so many documents that we do not have. Also, the compensation is for selected villages. Patwari says we are not counted in that. We are not living in a relief camp. What do we do now? There is no relief camp here. We are somehow managing to survive on our own. We are also not given compensation.”
Like Farida there are hundreds of survivors who are scattered all over western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. They are not eligible for compensation as per the criterion of the government. They are also scared of going back to their villages.
IWF distributed blankets to some of the survivors in Loni on Saturday.
Supreme Court has asked the government on Thursday to protect the survivors from the winter onslaught. But as per UP govt record, there are only 3,000 people living in relief camps.
“This is nothing but a joke. We want the Supreme Court, minority commission and NHRC to send independent teams to assess the number of people living in camps and also their condition,” said Dr. Shahid Jameel, president of IWF.
“We are trying to conduct a survey which can be submitted in the court. We are getting reports that atleast 36,000 people are living in camps. There are many others who are living on their own and unable to go back to their villages fearing backlash. Govt and the court must think of these people as well.”
IWF is supporting 34 such families who are living in acute poverty in Loni.