BERHAMPUR: A homeless couple of Pattapur village in Sanakhemundi block, who were spending days on the verandah of their neighbour’s house are set to get a house under Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY).
The elderly couple, Debahari Sahu and Sashi, lived in a thatched house near Patapur bus stand with their four daughters and a son. All the daughters got married and son left to work as a migrant labourer in another state. Last year, the couple was rendered homeless after a fire broke out in the village. Since then the couple has been preparing food outside of their damaged home and staying on a verandah of a neighbour.
Though the couple have ration and Aadhaar cards, they were deprived of Government benefits while the local administration provided them `3000 as financial assistance after the mishap. Their misery did not end here. While Debahari is suffering from paralysis, his wife Sashi too is ailing. Later, their son lost a hand in an accident andal three are staying together. After the fire mishap, Debahari had also appealed the local administration for a house under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and BPGY. But, his request was turned down as he owned a CC-roofed house in the Government record. On learning about the plight of the couple Collector Prem Chandra Chaudhary on Friday ordered the block officials to submit a report in this regard and provide a house under the state scheme, informed Sarpanch Sulatarani Swain.