Bhadrak: Gayadhar Ojha, a resident of Arandua village in the Basudevpur block of Bhadrak, has not hung up his boots even at the age of 72. A blacksmith, he has set up a polythene-roof shop by the roadside in Padmapur Bazaar.
He sells all kinds of iron implements like spades, crowbars, kitchen knives and axes, besides stone grinders.
Although he is unable to hear and see properly he has been earning his bread by selling these items for the past 42 years. He also has made the shop his home and cooks and sleeps there.
During the rain, life becomes difficult for him. Rainwater leaks from the roof drenching him. But he has taken all this on his chin and refused to give up. His two sons also run shops in Basudevpur Bazaar.
Gayadhar had a BPL card and used to get subsidised rice. “But now I am not getting rice,” he said.
Earlier, people used to buy iron implements but demand for that has come down and business is not as good as it was a few years ago, he said.
“I earn an average of Rs 200 to 250 a day. After meeting my own expenses I give the remaining to my wife Malati,” Gayadhar said.
He said that if the panchayat provides him a permanent shop he could make some more money. Samiti member Banaj Mohapatra said that if the panchayat builds shops he will be given one.
PNN
