At least 40 children dead as UP riot relief camps brace for a long winter

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pvchr <cfr.pvchr@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 6:37 PM
Subject: At least 40 children dead as UP riot relief camps brace for a long winter
To: covdnhrc@nic.in
Cc: jrlawnhrc@hub.nic.in, Lenin Raghuvanshi <lenin@pvchr.asia>

To, 

Chairperson

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi

Dear Sir, 

I want to bring in your kind attention towards the news published in Indian Express on 5 December, 2013 

At least 40 children dead as UP riot relief camps brace for a long winter 

 http://www.indianexpress.com/news/at-least-40-children-dead-as-up-riot-relief-camps-brace-for-a-long-winter/1203511/

Three months after fleeing their homes following theMuzaffarnagar riots, the displaced families face a new crisis — the onset of winter. The cold has already claimed many lives, mostly children, according to organisers of the relief camps who put the figure at over 40. The district officials, however, denied any "irregular deaths".

On Wednesday, when The Indian Express visited the relief camp in Malakpur in Shamli district, 42-year-old Mehbooba was burying her four-year-old daughter Khushnooma. Sitting outside the tent — three sheets of tarpaulin that make up the walls and some blankets tied together to cover the entrance — Mehbooba pointed to holes in the sheets. "My daughter would shiver inside. I put my hand on the holes, because I had to use my dupatta to cover my other children. I have seven children and only four blankets. I have to use two blankets to cover the entrance," she said.

Mehbooba and her husband took Khushnooma to a private hospital on Tuesday evening, after four days of fever. "They said she had pneumonia... Now I have to bury my youngest child," she said.

In Suneti, another camp where 200-odd families take shelter under tarpaulin sheets, 38-year-old Irfan buried his four-year-old daughter Fatima in the early hours of Wednesday. "She had fever for the last four days. We managed to get a government ambulance yesterday, but by the time we reached the local hospital, she was dead," he said.

Murshida, who has been staying at the Malakpur camp since September-end, said she buried her infant son last month. "He would keep crying and shivering. I begged everyone for a quilt, but nobody had quilts then. He died barely 15 days after he was born," she said, brushing away her tears. Murshida said she only had her mother-in-law to help her during delivery. "There was no light, we only had one candle. I thought I would die that night," she recalled.

Therefore it is kind request please take appropriate action at earliest. 

Thanking You

Sincerely Yours

Lenin Raghuvasnshi

Secretary General 

PVCHR

Mo: 09935599333

Three months after fleeing their homes following theMuzaffarnagar riots, the displaced families face a new crisis — the onset of winter. The cold has already claimed many lives, mostly children, according to organisers of the relief camps who put the figure at over 40. The district officials, however, denied any "irregular deaths".

On Wednesday, when The Indian Express visited the relief camp in Malakpur in Shamli district,

 42-year-old Mehbooba was burying her four-year-old daughter Khushnooma. 

Sitting outside the tent — three sheets of tarpaulin that make up the walls and 

some blankets tied together to cover the entrance — Mehbooba pointed 

to holes in the sheets. "My daughter would shiver inside. I put my hand on the holes,

 because I had to use my dupatta to cover my other children. 

I have seven children and only four blankets. I have to use two blankets to

 cover the entrance," she said.

Mehbooba and her husband took Khushnooma to a private hospital on 

Tuesday evening, after four days of fever. "They said she had pneumonia...

 Now I have to bury my youngest child," she said.

In Suneti, another camp where 200-odd families take shelter under tarpaulin sheets, 

38-year-old Irfan buried his four-year-old daughter Fatima in the early hours 

of Wednesday. "She had fever for the last four days. We managed to get a 

government ambulance yesterday, but by the time we reached 

the local hospital, she was dead," he said.

Murshida, who has been staying at the Malakpur camp since September-end,

 said she buried her infant son last month. "He would keep crying and shivering. 

I begged everyone for a quilt, but nobody had quilts then.

 He died barely 15 days after he was born," she said, brushing away her tears. 

Murshida said she only had her mother-in-law to help her during delivery. 

"There was no light, we only had one candle. I thought I would die that night," she recalled.