Keonjhar: In what deflates the much hyped claims of a robust social security system in Odisha, a man with disabilities was carried on a tri-cycle by his wife for about 18 kms to collect his pension at the Champua Block office in Keonjhar district.
As per reports, the incident occurred on Monday. Dulung Chatamba, a Divyang from Badanai village under Champua block of the district set out on an 18-kilometre journey from his village to the Block office at Champua, taking no less than five hours, to collect his pension. In spite of his disabilities, Dulung does not have a tri-cycle of his own. So he borrowed one from another Divyang in his village to undertake the arduous journey.
The appalling scene of Dulung’s wife, Surjya Chatamba, pushing the tricycle all way to Champua has raised many questions over the government’s actual intent to ease the burden of Divyangs in the state and make them self-reliant.
Narrating the ordeal, while on her way to the Block office, Surya said, “We left our village at 5am and I have been walking since then. We are poor and physically handicapped; we will ask the BDO to help us in any way possible.”
The district Social Security Officer, Jayakrushna Barik, while commenting on the woman’s plight, said, “We will have to first see if her husband is getting the allowance or not. If his name is enrolled in the list, then as per the government norms we can also deliver the allowance at his doorstep, if needed.”
“And if he has not yet been enrolled, we can facilitate his registration process and make the collection of pension easier for him,” added Barik.
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