KARIMNAGAR: Nineteen-year-old Chevuti Saritha, who married V Ramesh, of Gudipeta in Mallial mandal in Jagtial district, has been left to fend for herself after her husband abandoned her about six months ago since her relatives could not get Kalyana Lakshmi money from the government. The girl’s parents had promised to pay the money as dowry.
Saritha now lives in a tin-roofed shed in her native village, Kondayapalli, uncertain about her future. At the time of her wedding, Saritha’s relatives and the villagers promised the boy that the government’s incentive of Rs 1,00,116 payable to a Hindu bride at the time of marriage would be paid to him as dowry. It’s been nearly a year since the wedding, but the money remains elusive.
Saritha’s mother died due to ill health and her father, Pentaiah, has deserted her. He went to Bhiwandi in Maharashtra in search of a job, and though he returned recently, has not been of much help to his two daughters due to his poor health.
His younger daughter, Vanitha, is pursuing her SSC now. The two girls have been eking out a living by rolling beedis. “I want to be with my husband, but am yet to get the Kalyana Lakshmi cheque from the government. Unless I pay him the (dowry) money, he will not accept me,” Saritha said.
She, however, isn’t the only one to suffer due to the delay in payment of Kalyana Lakshmi incentives. About six beneficiaries in the village are waiting for their cheques to arrive.
Village revenue officer V Srinivas said the delay was because the model code of conduct was in force. “Because of this, Kalyana Lakhsmi has been kept on hold. I will bring Saritha’s case to govt notice,” he said.
Saritha’s relatives and community members bore her wedding expenses of Rs 40,000. For six months, her husband Ramesh waited, but subsequently began harassing her, and finally left her to her fate in Kondayapalli. Saritha had completed her Intermediate.