Dhenkanal: A woman struggling to get family pension for the last 34 years died awaiting the benefit at her home in Barada under Gondia police limits here late Sunday night.
Hirabati Pradhan, wife of late Dhaneshwar Pradhan, a teacher, was all set to stage a fast-unto-death protest with her family members outside the collectorate from October 3.
She was suffering from kidney related ailments, her sons Lakhsman and Dushmant said.
Her death has shocked fellow villagers who expressed profound grief mourning her demise.
According to reports, Dhaneshwar had died of cardiac arrest November 15, 1982 after working as a teacher for 21 years. Hirabati knocked at every door from the block community education officer to the Supreme Court to get family pension after the death of her husband, but the benefit remained a dream for her till she breathed her last.
The apex court realised that she is eligible for pension and ordered the concerned officials to provide her pension. However, the woman was denied the benefit despite the apex court order.
After the death for her husband, Hirabati ran from pillar to post to get family pension, but in vain. Left with no option, she filed a writ petition (WP(C)-11409/2004) in Orissa High court praying to direct the authorities to grant her family pension.
The high court found her eligible for family pension following which the district education officer (DEO) sent her pension papers to the office of the controller of accounts in Bhubaneswar. The controller of accounts, however, returned back her pension papers citing an ambiguous government notification of 2001, Hirabati’s family members said.
The government notification (280/96, dated October 18, 2001) debars the relatives of government servants who had died before September 1, 1988 from receiving family pension.
Moreover, the education department also appealed against the high court order in the apex court July 13, 2005 and obtained a stay order. The Supreme Court later, hearing Hirabati’s petition, vacated the stay order February 19, 2015 and directed the authorities to give her pension.
Later, Hirabati praying for pension wrote to the collector, the education secretary, the human rights commission, the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister and the President but with no success. PNN
