Harshini Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jul 1: To live happily in the present day society, one needs to be financially stable. There is a family at Kodankoor within the municipal limits here which is left with only three members now, but all of them are aged and do not have an assured source of income.
The family we are referring to belongs to Indira (70), and her two brothers, who have been living at their current location for over five decades. In the past, the family saw good days. Indira recollects that her mother had seven children. Out of her siblings, two brothers live with Indira now. One of them works as painter, but during the rainy season, he goes jobless. Her other brother, Vittal, used to roll bidis for a living, but for the last some years, he has been bedridden on account of sickness. As such, currently Indira is the only one who has to earn for the family and shoulder all the responsibilities of the family.
It is tragic that this family's plight has not been noticed by others in the society. On the face of it, the house does not present a gloomy picture, as everything looks alright. But a person who enters the house can see cobwebs, which seem to have accumulated over the last several years, hanging from all corners of the house, broken roof tiles, roof beams which have become too weak to handle the weight of the roof, and water which freely enters the house during rainy season. Locals are surprised that this house has withstood the rain fury witnessed over the last many days. To shield the house from getting battered by rain, it was recently partly covered with tarpaulin. Walls on one section of the house are built of mud, and they might crumble anytime now. The toilet of the house crashed to the ground due to heavy rain recently, and the family has no resources to build it again.
The family possesses a ration card but it has not been the beneficiary of the government's scheme of providing free LPG connection. Indira currently earns something by rolling bidis. None of these three old persons get old age pension. Indira has no eyesight in one of her eyes. Indira, who has taken over the work of bidi rolling from her elder brother, has been able to earn only Rs 300 per week.
Indira reveals that her elder sister's son whom she raised like her own son met untimely death. His wife earns something but she is unable to help Indira. Indira therefore is confounded about her future. This old lady of Kodankoor is in need of assistance immediately. Although a local organization has evinced interest to help her, it finds it hard to pool enough money for the renovation of the house. At the same time, the family does have any alternative accommodation to stay put during the rainy season.
If some largehearted samaritans come forward to help this family at its time of crisis, it would be possible to repair their home. Many drops together form an ocean. Therefore, Daijiworld requests donors to come forward generously to help this lady who has become helpless and directionless to the extent possible.
For extending assistance, Sandeep Kotian, Kodankoor may be contacted on 9980027199.
Indira's bank account details:
Account No: 154501231000053
Account holder's name : Indira
Bank Name : Vijaya Bank, Bananje branch
IFSC Code : VIJB0001545