Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (MS)

Puttur, Jun 20: This is the sad story of Rukma and Shanti, who live at Nekkaraje Baipadavu under Kabaka gram panchayat limits of the taluk on the outskirts of the town.

The ancestral land was divided between Rukma and his brother by elders. However, only a small thatched hut was given to Rukma in the land that belonged to his elder brother. In order to protect the inmates from rain, the roof is covered with coconut palms and plastic. The roof will fly off if there is strong wind. The family lives in these harsh conditions since the past two years.

Now the elder brother is forcing Rukma to go out of this thatched hut also. The family is nowhere to go. The pleas of younger brother Rukma with his elder brother to provide a piece of land for house has not moved his stern brother. Due to the inhuman behaviour of his elder brother, the family of Rukma is virtually on the road now.

Adding to the woes of the couple is their three and a half year old daughter, who cannot walk. When their daughter was just a year old, she suddenly contracted fever and lost control on both her legs. The toddler who should be playing around, sleeps whole day on the mat. The poor parents do not have money to take her for proper medical treatment. The money which Rukma earns from doing daily wage work is not even enough to have three square meals. Rukma's wife cannot go to work as their daughter is alone and cannot walk. Though they have applied for compensation from the government, they have not yet received any aid. The family does not have any basic infrastructure in their house which is like a hut.

Kabaka gram panchayat knows about the plight the family of Rukma is facing. However, as the family does not have any records, the gram panchayat is not able to provide them a house. However, the gram panchayat has come forward to provide them five cents of land with a house on the government land. However, a local has put fence on the way to this land.

Though the gram panchayat has sanctioned a grant of Rs 1.40 lac to build a house for the family of Rukma, they have not yet got the possession of it. Some organizations had also tried to get five cents of land in the three acres of land belonging to Rukma's elder brother through gift deed. But this effort has also not got any response from his brother. Sub divisional officer of Puttur is approached to help in this regard.

Anyone will feel pity if they come across the situation the family of Rukma is facing. The local gram panchayat is planning to get the family a house built at a cost of Rs three lac. Rs 1.40 lac is already sanctioned from the differently-abled child scheme. The rest needs to be collected from donors as per gram panchayat officials.