Poverty made her affectionless. The New Year’s Day meant nothing to her as she was not mainstreamed in the world of industrialisation and babuism. Probably, there was no option left for her than to think that her two-month-old girl can fetch Rs10,000 to her so that she and her physically-handicapped husband can meet their basic needs for a few days or a month.
It was a shocking offer made by Sukumari Hianal of Asurapada under Sibapadar gram panchayat in Rayagada district at the Sesa Sterlite Company’s gate at lanjigarh. A girl in her armpit, Sukumari was inviting, ‘Babu ehi pilatiku nia, mote dasa hazar tanka dia, (please take this child and give me Rs10,000).
Neither the Governments, introducers of welfare schemes, nor the gainers (if any), of the Sesa Sterlite project, which was arguably set up to bring economic development in the area, can deny it was not a shocking call. Some came forward to her and wanted to know why she wanted to sell her child at Rs10,000.
“I am very poor. I was not able to meet daily needs as my husband is a handicapped person. My suffering has been manifold after the birth of this girl child,” Sukumari simply said.
The severity of her poverty could be marked well on her face as she continued to make the offer even after many people tried to make her understand that human beings are not made for sale.
However, Shibapadar GP Sarapanch Jagannath Nundruka however said the family of Sukumari and her physically-handicapped husband Ramnath Hianal has been given a PDS card and are getting 25 kg of rice every month.