KOCHI: Mariyakutty, the 78-year-old Idukki native who made headlines by seeking alms in Adimali town to protest the non-disbursal of social security pension, has now approached the Kerala High Court on the issue.
On Tuesday, Mariyakutty filed a petition in the High Court seeking the release of her monthly pension of `1,600. She has not received pension since July this year, resulting in a backlog of five months’ payments. When the plea came up for hearing, Justice Devan Ramachandran sought the view of the state government and the Adimali panchayat.
According to the petition, Mariyakutty doesn’t have land in her name and she is a beneficiary under the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme. She is unable to do any work because of age-related ailments. Her only source of income is the `1,600 given by the government. She could not buy medicines and other essential items because of the non-disbursal of the pension.
Though she had filed a representation before the state government seeking disbursal of the pension arrears, there was no follow-up on it, the plea stated.
Mariyakutty told TNIE that she approached the HC as the government failed to find a solution to her issue, despite seeking alms in the public along with her friend Annamma Ouseph.
“Except for the spreading of false news through media, none of the party workers visited my house to understand my situation or took steps to resolve the issue,” Mariyakutty said. “When the government spends huge amounts for the party and public events, it is obliged to provide pension to the elderly first, as that amount is a great relief for many,” she added.