A section of lepers here are least concerned with who wins or loses in the current polls or for that matter which party forms the Government.
long neglected, a small population of lepers living on the outskirts of Kendrapada township is more worried as to arranging their food and medicines. For, they know, no matter which party comes to power, there will be no improvement in their wretched conditions.
According to the leper families, who have been residing for over three decades on a Government land in Pandiri village after being thrown off by kin and fellow villagers, vote has nothing to do with improving their lot and so, there is no point in exercising mind over the polls.
“Why will we cast voteIJ What benefits will it bring to usIJ Whether political leaders or Government officials, all are of same tan. They have mechanical concerns for us, not genuine,” lamented a few inhabitants of the slum, whose limbs have been affected by
dreaded leprosy.
Their frustration is surely rooted in a long felt agony of being neglected for years. The leaders and bureaucrats have come to them when it was necessary and swore to help them in all possible ways but later, they backtracked and never showed up.
The Government benefits along with free medical attention always eluded them. Since they are lepers, the officials abhorred to pay a visit to their colony and listen to their hardship.
They have had to run from pillar to post to get permanent land records but in vain.
According to Siba Sethy, an inhabitant, though the State Government provided BPl, Antodaya and Annapurna cards to the poverty stricken people, but they were deprived of it and as such, the benefits, including Rs1-a- kg rice.
The district administration and the local MlA and PRI members allegedly did not enrol their names in BPl, antodaya and annapurna lists.
Besides, the leper colony lacks potable water facilities. In order to get water, they have to depend on a tube well in the premises of the District Education Office.
Most of the time, their family members faced problem to fetch water from the tube well as during the holidays, the main gate of the office remained locked.
Another major problem, which the lepers are facing, is that though there are arrangements to provide them free medical aid with the health officials visiting their basti (residing place), but hardly does anybody call on the patients.
Even, the district health department has failed to provide cottons and required medicines for their wounds, alleged Krushan Pradhan, another inhabitant of the colony.
It is very difficult for a leper’s child to go to any school, as few educational institutions are willing to admit them.