Rajendra Prasad Mohapatra

Rayagada: It's an endless wait for T Venketratnam to get the benefits claim for which she is entitled to following the death of her husband who was an Odisha government employee.

Venketratnam has been running from pillar to post for the last three years now for monetary assistance and her compassionate ground appointment. However, the State government officials have allegedly turned a deaf ear to her plight.

After five years of their marriage, Venketratnam’s husband T Sunil Kumar, a junior clerk in Chandrapur Tehsil, succumbed to his kidney ailment in 2018. Since then, she has been caught in the apathy and red tapism.

She has visited the Tehsil office and Rayagada Collectorate umpteen times with all the required documents to claim her legal benefits, but to no avail.

“We are making our ends meet with the meagre amount of pension of our mother. The government officials are not responding to me and dilly-dallying my legal claim. Our economic condition has worsened. I have no more patience and suicide is the only option left for me,” said Venketratnam.

Her lawyer Pradip Kumar Das also blamed the government officials for their alleged apathy towards the helpless woman. “Venketratnam has approached several higher authorities including former Tehsildars and Collectors. Though they had given assurances for necessary actions, her file has been caught in red tape,” said Das.

Responding to the complaint, Rayagada Collector Saroj Kumar Mishra assured immediate assistance to Venketratnam. “I just came to know about the incident. I will speak to the Tehsildar soon and necessary steps will be taken to provide her assistance according to the claims,” said Mishra.

“If she is eligible to get a job under the government rehabilitation scheme, she will be provided a class-four job,” he assured.

(Edited by Pradeep Singh)

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