Bhadrak: Even as the administration had set up a colony on the outskirts of this town to rehabilitate leprosy patients about 18 years ago, the locality is yet to get basic facilities including road connectivity, drinking water and electricity, a report said.
While the inhabitants have laid a road on their own, other facilities like land pattas and leprosy allowance are beyond their reach, lamented the residents. The population of the colony is 200 of which 150 are severely affected by the disease.
According to reports, the district administration shifted the leprosy affected persons from Chhapulia in 2000 assuring them of all kinds of facilities.
But the officials soon forgot their promises, the residents said. As they have not received the land pattas, they are deprived of government scheme benefits and continue to live in shanties, the residents said.
Their children don’t get scholarships as they are yet to be provided with caste certificates. The residents get stranded in rainwater during monsoon and live in very unhygienic conditions in summer. Though many persons of the colony are disables, only seven get disability allowances, it was learnt. Some people have adopted beggary to eke out a living. It took more than six months for the residents to lay a road to the colony, it was learnt.
On the other hand, a primary school was set up in the area in 2010-11 with the help of Rotary Club. While the student strength of the school is 50, they fail to study during nights as the colony is yet to be given electricity connection. Though the inhabitants raised their issues with the collector on several occasions, it didn’t bear any results, said a resident Ramesh Sahoo.
Deputy collector Rajendra Kumar Panda said there is difficulty in issuing land pattas as the land comes under the category of cremation ground.
He would try to resolve their problems with the help of a special officer, Panda added. PNN
