Bijepur: An elderly physically challenged person, who had been lying on his tricycle in the open owing to his poor health since Monday, was Friday rescued by members of a local social organisation in Bargarh district.
Biranchi Tandi, the rescued man, had been lying at Mama square near Kharmunda village under Bijepur block in Bargarh awaiting help. Following his rescue, he was first treated at Bijepur community health centre (CHC) and then shifted to Bargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH) where he is presently undergoing treatment.
The 70-year-old man from Kanadihi village is all alone. Until ten years ago, his parents took care of him. However, after their death, he had been living on alms. A recent road mishap made his condition worse.
He used to get old age pension and rice under Annapurna yojana. At times neighbours used to give him some food. Last month he had to take shelter at a relative’s house at Ghens as rain water started leaking through the roof of his decrepit hut.
Last Monday he had gone to T. Gandapali panchayat to bring PDS rice. His relatives had asked him to return to Kanadihi after getting the rice.
On his way back to his village, he found it a harrowing task to negotiate his tricycle on the road connecting Kanadihi and T. Gandapali as it is full of craters. Finding no help at sight, he stayed put at Mama square awaiting help amidst sun and rain.
While none of the passersby took note of his plight, coming to know of him from social media platforms where a video featuring him had been doing rounds, some members of a social organisation acted as a godsend. They gave him some food and brought him onto the verandah of a shop Friday.
Keeping his deteriorating health condition in view, they got him hospitalised as well. Jalandhar Patel, a member of the social organisation said, “After his treatment, he would be rehabilitated at Parbati Giri old age home at Bileipali under Bijepur block.”
PNN