Dhenkanal: There seems to be no end to the ordeal of an acid attack victim who collapsed Saturday while pleading with the Collector for rehabilitation.
The woman cried for help holding her six-year-old son in her arms in the chamber of Collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan in an attempt to bring her plight to the notice of the administration. All of a sudden she collapsed.
The Collector directed the women police and collectorate staff to rescue the woman and admit her to the district headquarters hospital.
The victim, a resident of Rasol, sustained 55 per cent burns after a youth hurled acid at her when she was studying Plus III in 2005. She recovered after undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
She met the then Collector who appointed her as an assistant on daily wage at the Rasol health centre. The woman used to receive Rs 3,500 per month which was paid to her from the Rogi Kalyan Samiti fund. She worked there for 10 years before losing the job.
A newspaper hawker of Bahalunda village married her and the couple was blessed with a son. However, after losing the job, the woman found it hard to manage her family.
The district health department had recently invited applications for the posts of attendants reserving one post for female candidate of scheduled caste category.
The victim hailing from scheduled caste community applied for the post but was left disappointed after her name did not figure in the merit list published Saturday. She met the Collector and was pleading with him for the job when she fell unconscious.
This correspondent met her at the hospital after she regained her sense. She warned of not taking food unless she is rehabilitated.
CDMO Basudev Behera expressed his inability to help the woman as the list has been published on basis of merit.
Meanwhile, Collector Kalyan said the merit list will be reviewed and steps taken to rehabilitate the woman if she has 10 years of job experience.
