At a red-light signal before Rajouri Garden junction, Santosh, Poonam, Pooja, and Rahul sat on the pavement wearing tattered clothes, without masks or even footwear. The only change in the beggars’ lives after the COVID-19 outbreak is less money.
When asked if she is aware of the pandemic, 10-year-old Santosh, unable to pronounce the term said, “‘ Corona Varis’ chal raha hai, ye pata hain [coronavirus is spreading, I know),” she said.
Public announcements
For them, the source of information about the disease is mostly the announcements made on public speaker by police and government bodies about how to keep washing hands, use sanitisers, remain indoors, maintain distance. However, all these exercises don’t appear to fit in their meagre lifestyle.
Santosh and Poonam said that a good Samaritan who had come in a “big car” two days ago provided them all with masks but they removed it. “It had become black and dirty so we threw it. They say keep washing hands. Here, if we are able to shower every day then it’s enough,” said Pooja (22), adding that they live in a tent of dupattas near a temple without a fan or electricity. “We all sleep together close to each other because of lack of space so there is no possibility of keeping distance”.
But life has changed for them because there is dearth of vehicles on the road for them to ask for money. “ Ek gaadi aati hai itni. Uspe kitne log maang lenge? Waise ek gaadi pe ek aadmi mangta hai [One car comes. How many of us can go beg. One person begs at one car),” said Rahul.
Treated like patients
But he said that those who are willing to give, the situation doesn’t stop them for being charitable. “There have been cases where we are treated by passersby like we are COVID-19 patients and that even asking them for money will spread the disease. However, there are a few people like that,” he said.
While the government and the Delhi Police are making efforts to ensure that no one in the Capital sleeps on a hungry stomach, the beggars said that getting food was easier in the pre-COVID days. “Earlier, policemen would come give us food at least twice a day. Now, we only get sticks. They don’t let us beg here. They use sticks and force us to leave. That’s the reason why so many of us don’t even come on the roads now,” said Pooja.
How do they spend their day? Santosh and Poonam take their stones and start playing.
