Odisha: Old couple living in cowshed with cow, calf for last 10 years, watch

Puri: An old couple is reportedly living in a wretched cowshed sharing space with a cow and a calf for the last 10 years. This miserable scene has been witnessed in Puri district of Odisha.

Seventy year old Kailash Ghadei lives in Banuasahi of Suhanpur village under Suhanpur panchayat of Kakatpur block along with his sixty-five year old wife in a cow shed.

In the cow shed there is a half-broken bed lying in one corner while in the other corner a cow and its calf have been kept.

The state government has many schemes for the poor. Especially there are many schemes for the people living below the poverty line. Yet, the real picture is something different. All the deserving beneficiaries are not provided with the benefit.

As per government regulations, free houses are provided to poor people. Similarly, the government also provides old age allowance to the poor beneficiaries after reaching the age of 60 years. However, this couple from Banuasahi has not been provided a house under any govt scheme.

The old couple don’t have any biological children. However they had adopted a boy. After he grew up, he married a girl and abandoned them.  Since then, they have been living in such miserable condition.

Being a member of the Harijan community, he earns by working with bamboo and making baskets. Besides, he gets 10 kg rice monthly in Rs 1 per kg.  The roof of the shed is also damaged and a piece of black polythene sheet is the only thing that protects them from the fury of nature. A few clothes have been hanged in a side that works as a side wall.

The old man has met many officials and elected political leaders and requeste to provide them a house, but in vain.

Asked about this Kakatpur block chairman Sridhar Nayak assured to look into the matter and provide a house as per the government rules.