BMC begins survey to find orphans of...

Kakani further said there will be very few such cases where children have lost both of their parents. “Once we identify the children, we will provide monetary support to them and will also rehabilitate as it is a priority as we also have to look at the mental trauma that such children are going through,” added Kakani.

Senior doctors from the civic health department said many non-governmental organisations, donors and social workers have approached them seeking details about children who lost their parents due to covid. Moreover, the civic body has asked them to help such children on their level without letting it out to anyone.

“So far we have not found any such cases but our screening is going. Many people are coming forward to help these children in their education and bear all their expenses despite the fact that they are staying with their relatives or at the orphanage,” he said.

Recently the Supreme Court had asked for the data from the states on children orphaned in this pandemic. Pandemic with lockdown and news of death and disease is unknowingly hitting kids’ psychology hard, said the state paediatric task force.

The task force has made a delineated plan by including a special chapter in their module to track such cases of mental trauma that have been going either unnoticed or where families do not know how to handle them.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray instructed the WCD department to work along with the state paediatric task force. He also instructed the department to formulate policies for children orphaned in this pandemic in the state to help them complete their education and become independent.