Nuagaon: A thatched hut, with leaking roof and broken walls has been the only source of shelter for widow Chanda Bewa and her five family members.
Located just 500 metres away from the block office, the below poverty line (BPL) family has been living in that dilapidated hut at Mudurang village under this block in Nayagarh district. The family is seen struggling to fit inside the hut that is literally on the verge of collapse.
The blame for the family’s plight goes to authorities who have not allocated a house under the government-launched schemes. While rich people not eligible to avail benefits under government schemes have got new houses, genuine beneficiaries like Chanda are overlooked.
After the death of her husband, the widow has been running from pillar to post to attract the attention of the authorities concerned but to no avail.
Earlier, some senior officials during their visit to the village had assured the elderly woman that a house under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) would be provided. However, the assurance has proved empty as no help has arrived for the elderly woman even after many years have passed.
Chanda said her husband Lingaraj had hoped that their house would be constructed, but he died without seeing it. Now, Chanda lives a miserable life without a shelter with her son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.
Locals, sympathising with the condition of Chanda and her family, have demanded the administration to look into their plight.
“The administration would be responsible if someone in my family dies in wall collapse as my house will cave in anytime. So, I plead for a house,” Chanda said with tears welling up.
PNN