A poverty-stricken woman of Kendrapada district has been running from pillar to post to arrange funds to meet medical treatment expenditure of her 22-year-old mentally-deranged son since his birth, thanks to non response of Government officials.
Subhadra Das of Bilabalarampur village under Ayetipur gram panchayat of Marshaghai block said her son Kalia has been suffering from fits since birth. What has made her more hapless is that her husband Bipin Das has not returned home since Kalia was in womb.
“Bipin had gone in search of work 22 years back and has not returned since then. In these days, Kalia has developed insanity due to lack of treatment,” lamented Subhadra with tears in her eyeas.
She said she had been depending on her father for daily food till he died four years back. Now, she is unable to collect food for her son.
“Though I am getting an old age pension of Rs 300 and Antodaya rice every month, yet these do not meet my daily needs. I do menial jobs to arrange foods and often bring MDM meals for my son,” Subhadra lamented. She too stated that her insane son creates problems for villagers often and gets their wraths.
She said she is still to put doors to her house she had got under the IAY scheme years back. We often suffer from cold and cough due to free entry of air and rainwater in my house, she said.
“Kalia’s condition is worsening day by day. Though villagers are providing money to her, yet the amount is not sufficient to purchase medicines. She has already knocked on the doors of district administration for getting free medicines under the Niramay Yojana but is yet to get the same,” said locals. When contacted, district Collector Debaraj Senapati said the matter has come to his notice and he would soon take steps to provide medicines for insane Kalia.