So finally I returned to work after five days... after relishing some good food and care.
But the moment I reached office, I was asked to rush to Ghatkopar, where 11 children had been admitted to Rajawadi Hospital under suspected malnutrition. We reached the hospital but the authorities at this BMC run hospital denied entry to our camera. So the story fell that very moment. But what unfolded later is something that cannot be ignored. The reporters present there, nonetheless, made their way into the paediatric ward.
Children aged between 0-6 years were brought to the hospital, they had high fever and at their age, instead of jumping and monkeying around these children could hardly walk, forget playing.
Eight-months-old Sayeeda cried inconsolably. I asked her mother what was wrong with her. Coldly, she replied, "My husband too has fallen ill. He is a daily wage earner. Unless, he earns something, we cannot have food." And then looking towards her baby, she continued, "Aur waise bhi yeh ab kuch naya nahi hain... (And in any case this is nothing new)." We spend four to five days at a go without eating anything. She is crying because we havent fed her for three days."
My heart sank the moment I heard those words.
But the way news reached the media, it also reached local politicians. They flocked in by numbers, to gain the mileage out of the situation.
Ironically, they spent just five minutes with the children who were admitted and 30 minutes with the media who was present there - each coming up with a novel excuse for this condition of the children.
Some blamed the government's apathy. while others blamed it on the demography of this city. Some went on blame the economic situation of the minority (most of the children admitted belonged to the minority community) and some suspected irregularities in distribution of ration. Not a single politician owned up the responsibility of these children. They all demanded an enquiry into each other's role.
And if this tamasha wasn't enough, the worst was yet to come.
It was a hot, sultry afternoon and the humid weather meant wiping your brows every few seconds. And one of our elected ministers called out to his assistant. He shouted: "Zara media ke liye kuch thanda lao, bechare kab se dhup mein khade hain, jao kuch jaldi leker aao (Get some cold drinks for the journalists, the poor souls have been standing in the sun for so long)." And this in front of all those children and their mothers who had neither food nor medicines on them...
I was completely amused at their apathy towards the children, like Sayeeda who hadn't had a morsel since three days. Disgusted, I left the ward. But it seemed there was more in store for me, because when I was leaving, I saw Sayeeda's mom lining up to these ministers begging for some relief in form of money or job.
A sad reality. first published:June 19, 2006, 09:51 ISTlast updated:June 19, 2006, 09:51 IST
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A fortnight ago, I was down in bed with high fever and low blood pressure. Doctors blamed it on exertion and irregular food intake. But no matter how much I hated being teased 'sick' by my brother, the illness gave me an opportunity to getting pampered from my mum. So on my road to recovery, I was fed with the best nutritious food, fruit chats, juices and dal khichdi. In less than five days, I was back on my feet... ready to go back to work...
So finally I returned to work after five days... after relishing some good food and care.
But the moment I reached office, I was asked to rush to Ghatkopar, where 11 children had been admitted to Rajawadi Hospital under suspected malnutrition. We reached the hospital but the authorities at this BMC run hospital denied entry to our camera. So the story fell that very moment. But what unfolded later is something that cannot be ignored. The reporters present there, nonetheless, made their way into the paediatric ward.
Children aged between 0-6 years were brought to the hospital, they had high fever and at their age, instead of jumping and monkeying around these children could hardly walk, forget playing.
Eight-months-old Sayeeda cried inconsolably. I asked her mother what was wrong with her. Coldly, she replied, "My husband too has fallen ill. He is a daily wage earner. Unless, he earns something, we cannot have food." And then looking towards her baby, she continued, "Aur waise bhi yeh ab kuch naya nahi hain... (And in any case this is nothing new)." We spend four to five days at a go without eating anything. She is crying because we havent fed her for three days."
My heart sank the moment I heard those words.
But the way news reached the media, it also reached local politicians. They flocked in by numbers, to gain the mileage out of the situation.
Ironically, they spent just five minutes with the children who were admitted and 30 minutes with the media who was present there - each coming up with a novel excuse for this condition of the children.
Some blamed the government's apathy. while others blamed it on the demography of this city. Some went on blame the economic situation of the minority (most of the children admitted belonged to the minority community) and some suspected irregularities in distribution of ration. Not a single politician owned up the responsibility of these children. They all demanded an enquiry into each other's role.
And if this tamasha wasn't enough, the worst was yet to come.
It was a hot, sultry afternoon and the humid weather meant wiping your brows every few seconds. And one of our elected ministers called out to his assistant. He shouted: "Zara media ke liye kuch thanda lao, bechare kab se dhup mein khade hain, jao kuch jaldi leker aao (Get some cold drinks for the journalists, the poor souls have been standing in the sun for so long)." And this in front of all those children and their mothers who had neither food nor medicines on them...
I was completely amused at their apathy towards the children, like Sayeeda who hadn't had a morsel since three days. Disgusted, I left the ward. But it seemed there was more in store for me, because when I was leaving, I saw Sayeeda's mom lining up to these ministers begging for some relief in form of money or job.
A sad reality.
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