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In Pictures: Lockdown adds to India’s slum dwellers’ woes

Food, money and work are scarce among slum-dwellers who live just outside the capital, New Delhi.

Most slum-dwellers are thinking of selling vegetables to earn a living. This family of four is headed by Abu Sheikh, 48, who works as an office cleaner. His wife Safia, 48, works as a maid in a residential building. The lack of work has hit them hard as they borrowed money recently for treatment for their one-year-old daughter Muneefa. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Most slum-dwellers are thinking of selling vegetables to earn a living. This family of four is headed by Abu Sheikh, 48, who works as an office cleaner. His wife Safia, 48, works as a maid in a residential building. The lack of work has hit them hard as they borrowed money recently for treatment for their one-year-old daughter Muneefa. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
By Tahir Ibn Manzoor and Nasir Kachroo
22 Apr 2020

Gurugram, India – Anima Mondal, 46, who lost her husband due to kidney failure and her only son to blood cancer, works as a maid in Gurugram, fully aware of the lurking dangers of the coronavirus.

She realises what lies ahead as India extended the world’s biggest coronavirus lockdown until May 3.

Mondal said she is taking precautionary measures to keep herself safe from the coronavirus pandemic, despite living in a slum.

“We’re living in abject poverty. The shortage of food could starve us to death soon,” Mondal told Al Jazeera.

Mondal is not alone in this situation. Tens of thousands of migrant workers who are stranded in different parts of India are bearing the consequences from being unable to work.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus has wreaked havoc on businesses in India and crippled normal life.

The restrictions on public gatherings have left streets empty, shopping centres deserted and millions behind closed doors.

The country has reported more than 20,000 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. At least 600 people have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The lockdown has had a devastating impact on society, including the poor and homeless.

Daily wage-earners like manual labourers, scrap collectors, rickshaw pullers and auto rickshaw drivers are in danger of starving due to the lockdown.

The densely populated areas, in particular, are more vulnerable.

“Physical distancing is an alien concept for slums,” Shahid Jameel, a virologist told Al Jazeera.

“People living in slums are more prone to the disease because of multiple reasons. They’re nutritionally deficient and have a weaker immune system.”

Abdul Sheikh, 36, lives with his family in a room, cramped for space. He and his wife Sarveena Bibi, 29, lost their jobs and have food to last just four days. Abdul had to sell his phone recently to purchase food for his family. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Abdul Sheikh, 36, lives with his family in a room, cramped for space. He and his wife Sarveena Bibi, 29, lost their jobs and have food to last just four days. Abdul had to sell his phone recently to purchase food for his family. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
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With the public told to stay off the roads, the busiest highways are deserted in Delhi. Delhi Police have issued curfew passes for vehicles engaged in the supply of essential goods and services. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
With the public told to stay off the roads, the busiest highways are deserted in Delhi. Delhi Police have issued curfew passes for vehicles engaged in the supply of essential goods and services. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Anima Mondal, 46, moved to Delhi from Kolkata in 2017. "No tragedy is bigger than losing our loved ones. This lockdown is taking a massive toll on me. Now, I am having nightmares after losing my work as a maid. At least I used to earn to fill my stomach and live to the next day," she said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Anima Mondal, 46, moved to Delhi from Kolkata in 2017. "No tragedy is bigger than losing our loved ones. This lockdown is taking a massive toll on me. Now, I am having nightmares after losing my work as a maid. At least I used to earn to fill my stomach and live to the next day," she said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
In India, the coronavirus has affected millions. Normal life has stopped and street vendors have opted to sell vegetables and fruits in different parts of Delhi. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
In India, the coronavirus has affected millions. Normal life has stopped and street vendors have opted to sell vegetables and fruits in different parts of Delhi. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Vivek Bishwas, 31, was a housekeeping supervisor. He feeds a family of four in an 8-foot x 6-foot (2.5 x 2-metre) shanty house. Bishwas moved to Delhi in 2017 looking for a job. He resigned to look for a better opportunity a couple of weeks before the lockdown. "For the first 21 days, we didn’t feel any pressure. Now, I am regretting resigning in haste. We’ve already witnessed how this has exposed even the so-called developed countries. We don’t fear coronavirus more than hunger," said Bishwas. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Vivek Bishwas, 31, was a housekeeping supervisor. He feeds a family of four in an 8-foot x 6-foot (2.5 x 2-metre) shanty house. Bishwas moved to Delhi in 2017 looking for a job. He resigned to look for a better opportunity a couple of weeks before the lockdown. "For the first 21 days, we didn’t feel any pressure. Now, I am regretting resigning in haste. We’ve already witnessed how this has exposed even the so-called developed countries. We don’t fear coronavirus more than hunger," said Bishwas. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Nine-year-old Salahuddin Sheikh from West Bengal’s Murshidabad town now lives in Delhi with his father, Akbar Sheikh, 45, who works as a mason. He has not been working for little over a month now which has added to their miseries. Salahuddin wants to return home to see his mother, Amina Begum. "Salu always looks at the metal gate asking when he will be taken home, he at times cries in the middle of the night which leaves me numb," Akbar said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Nine-year-old Salahuddin Sheikh from West Bengal’s Murshidabad town now lives in Delhi with his father, Akbar Sheikh, 45, who works as a mason. He has not been working for little over a month now which has added to their miseries. Salahuddin wants to return home to see his mother, Amina Begum. "Salu always looks at the metal gate asking when he will be taken home, he at times cries in the middle of the night which leaves me numb," Akbar said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
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Rickshaw drivers bear the brunt of the lockdown. "Unfortunately, I returned to Delhi in the first week of March," said Kajal Sheikh, 21. "Nobody expected this to happen. We have to give between $4 and $6 to the owners on a daily basis," he said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Rickshaw drivers bear the brunt of the lockdown. "Unfortunately, I returned to Delhi in the first week of March," said Kajal Sheikh, 21. "Nobody expected this to happen. We have to give between $4 and $6 to the owners on a daily basis," he said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Munwara Bibi, 44, lives with two sons Shanarul Sheikh, 24 and Habibul Sheikh, nine. Her husband left her in 2011. "We're short on food as I don't have any work like others. Also, if one contracts the coronavirus, we will all be doomed," she said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Munwara Bibi, 44, lives with two sons Shanarul Sheikh, 24 and Habibul Sheikh, nine. Her husband left her in 2011. "We're short on food as I don't have any work like others. Also, if one contracts the coronavirus, we will all be doomed," she said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Rohul Mondal, 30, from West Bengal’s Nadia district, is a diabetic. He works as a painter and lives with his pregnant wife, Phulan Mondal, 29. He is unable to work during the lockdown. "I haven’t been paid my wages since February. My wife can’t work a lot due to her pregnancy and I am struggling to make ends meet. For insulin, I had to pay around $8 for a week apart from my wife’s medicines. I have now spent all the money we had collected so far. Who should we look at in these crises?” [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Rohul Mondal, 30, from West Bengal’s Nadia district, is a diabetic. He works as a painter and lives with his pregnant wife, Phulan Mondal, 29. He is unable to work during the lockdown. "I haven’t been paid my wages since February. My wife can’t work a lot due to her pregnancy and I am struggling to make ends meet. For insulin, I had to pay around $8 for a week apart from my wife’s medicines. I have now spent all the money we had collected so far. Who should we look at in these crises?” [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Delivery drivers are aware of the risks but they feel lucky to have work amid the pandemic. Kunwar Singh Rana, 35, who is from Uttarakhand said: 'We have got the basic knowledge and keep checking on the government advisory. Besides, we’re bound to maintain social distance and sanitise ourselves as we have a public dealing. Something is better than nothing. We used to earn between $9 to $10 before the lockdown. Now, it has become a tough task as we earn half of that." [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Delivery drivers are aware of the risks but they feel lucky to have work amid the pandemic. Kunwar Singh Rana, 35, who is from Uttarakhand said: 'We have got the basic knowledge and keep checking on the government advisory. Besides, we’re bound to maintain social distance and sanitise ourselves as we have a public dealing. Something is better than nothing. We used to earn between $9 to $10 before the lockdown. Now, it has become a tough task as we earn half of that." [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Haroon Sheikh is a rickshaw puller and his wife Laju Bibi is a maid. They have been out of work since March 24. The duo wants to be with their four children in West Bengal. "We have a small amount of money left and we don’t know how to sustain when there is no work and we can’t even afford masks," Haroon said. "If this lockdown is extended and we don’t get food, we will die." [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Haroon Sheikh is a rickshaw puller and his wife Laju Bibi is a maid. They have been out of work since March 24. The duo wants to be with their four children in West Bengal. "We have a small amount of money left and we don’t know how to sustain when there is no work and we can’t even afford masks," Haroon said. "If this lockdown is extended and we don’t get food, we will die." [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
"Everyone has to assume that they’re infected and what they’re doing is to protect everyone else. If everyone starts doing this then very quickly and affordably you can cut transmission down," Shahid Jameel, a virologist told Al Jazeera. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
"Everyone has to assume that they’re infected and what they’re doing is to protect everyone else. If everyone starts doing this then very quickly and affordably you can cut transmission down," Shahid Jameel, a virologist told Al Jazeera. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Sofia Begum, 39, lives alone and revealed the biggest challenge for her was to send money to her children. "I'm practicising social distancing and wash hands at regular intervals. At least, a doctor should have visited us at a time when things were more threatening. Fear is instilled among us to stop us from going out. The slum dwellers have put up a metal gate which remains mostly closed during the day." [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Sofia Begum, 39, lives alone and revealed the biggest challenge for her was to send money to her children. "I'm practicising social distancing and wash hands at regular intervals. At least, a doctor should have visited us at a time when things were more threatening. Fear is instilled among us to stop us from going out. The slum dwellers have put up a metal gate which remains mostly closed during the day." [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Vishwa Halder, 46, has been selling fish for more than 17 years. "We are left with less than $7 now. Whatever we had saved by selling fish had been spent in this extended lockdown. We’re losing it in these crisis. We request the government to help us by providing food and monetary support. No one is willing to lend us money in these distressing times," Halder said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
Vishwa Halder, 46, has been selling fish for more than 17 years. "We are left with less than $7 now. Whatever we had saved by selling fish had been spent in this extended lockdown. We’re losing it in these crisis. We request the government to help us by providing food and monetary support. No one is willing to lend us money in these distressing times," Halder said. [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]
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