 Gurdas Kumar
Early Times Report
VIJAYPUR, Oct 4: Madan Lal, who is a father of four children, has been living in grave poverty after he lost his both legs in a road accident last year. Adding to his miseries, he has been betrayed by a former BJP minister who had first assured him free treatment at a private hospital, but later the hospital handed over a bill of Rs 11 lakh which he had to pay by taking loan.
Madan Lal, a resident of Keran Wali of Ramgarh sector in district Samba, has been running from post to pillar for his handicapped pension and regularly visits the Social Welfare Department (SWD). He had applied for the pension on 6-6-2018, but to no avail.
SWD official Samba, Abdul Rahim said 778 cases are pending with the department, and they are trying to accommodate these cases after following proper codal formalities.
Before accident, Madan used to run a horse cart to earn his livelihood. He met with an accident on 29-03-2017 at Bari Brahamna and lost both legs, leaving him handicapped for life.
After the accident he was admitted in Government Medical College Jammu for treatment. Later doctors advised him to go for advanced treatment. The family members contacted the BJP leader and former minister for help, after which the minister gave him a slip and asked him to show it to Amandeep Hospital for free treatment. But the hospital administration didn't pay any heed to the slip.
Somehow, he was operated and later the hospital administration gave him a bill of Rs 11 lakh, which he had to pay with help of his relative and take loan.
Madan Lal alleged that the BJP minister made a fun of a poor like him. The tale of his miseries didn't stop here as last year. The roof of his house collapsed during rainy season. He went to Rural Development Department for help but the officials, except taking picture of his house, did nothing leaving him and his family without roof. Although, Madan Lal is a BPL card holder, he was deprived of the benefits.
ACD Samba, Azad Kesar, said that only those cases will be taken under BPL consideration whose name falls in 2011 census. The fact is that Madan Lal had BPL card well before 2011, yet no relief was provided to him from the department.
Taking strong exception of the lackadaisical attitude of the concerned departments who failed to provide relief to a poor, a social activist Avinash Choudhary said that local leaders remain busy in their politics and don't take care of the problems of poor. "It is very shameful thing on the part of local administration that it failed to provide him a wheel chair," he said adding that astonishingly, another handicapped person in the area donated a wheel chair to Madan Lal. |
