Meerut:
Rukayya Ali's cries echo in Mandavali village of Meerut. She lost her 8-year-old son to the killer cold wave sweeping the state.
Neighbours gather to console her but find it difficult. How does one console a mother who has lost 4 of her children within a span of days. All of them fell to pneumonia, the youngest one was just months old.
"We showed them to the doctor and I did the best I could with the little money I have. One died in the hospital we took him to, one died at home. Till now, I have lost 4 children," said Rukayya's husband Subhaan Ali.
Subhaan is a daily labourer, struggling to make ends meet. The couple had 8 children and just a small hut that they call home. With a shortage of work and so many mouths to feed, they couldn't afford the treatment that could have saved their children.
The rest of their children too are sick and the family is now hoping for government help.
I have already lost 4 of my 8 children. Now we all are also sick. I am hoping to get some help from the government so I can save my other children," said Subhaan.
But till now, no state government official has come to their door to see how bad things are.
The government has set aside 12 crore rupees for blankets and bonfires for those living on the streets, but Subhaan Ali doesn't qualify for that.
Over 200 people have died so far across Uttar Pradesh due to the cold wave and Subhaan Ali has to fight alone to ensure none from his family adds to that figure.
Neighbours gather to console her but find it difficult. How does one console a mother who has lost 4 of her children within a span of days. All of them fell to pneumonia, the youngest one was just months old.
"We showed them to the doctor and I did the best I could with the little money I have. One died in the hospital we took him to, one died at home. Till now, I have lost 4 children," said Rukayya's husband Subhaan Ali.
Subhaan is a daily labourer, struggling to make ends meet. The couple had 8 children and just a small hut that they call home. With a shortage of work and so many mouths to feed, they couldn't afford the treatment that could have saved their children.
The rest of their children too are sick and the family is now hoping for government help.
I have already lost 4 of my 8 children. Now we all are also sick. I am hoping to get some help from the government so I can save my other children," said Subhaan.
But till now, no state government official has come to their door to see how bad things are.
The government has set aside 12 crore rupees for blankets and bonfires for those living on the streets, but Subhaan Ali doesn't qualify for that.
Over 200 people have died so far across Uttar Pradesh due to the cold wave and Subhaan Ali has to fight alone to ensure none from his family adds to that figure.
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