Banarpal: A young man is finding his big head a liability rather than an asset after having gone through bad experiences. For example, he can’t buy petrol at filling stations as he can’t wear a helmet and he has lost his job also for the same reason.
Laxmidhar Jena, 23, a native Bompha village under Hindol block, has been staying with his parents and younger brother in a rented house in Girang village of this block in Angul district.
His father Budhia Jena works as a contract labourer in a plant.
The size of Laxmidhar’s head started growing unusually from his birth. It continued to grow with his age. The family consulted several doctors in Angul, Cuttack and even in Delhi, but didn’t get any relief.
Meanwhile, Laxmidhar completed a vocational training course in a local Industrial Training Institute (ITI) after passing matriculation. He wanted to help his poor father and improve the financial condition of the family. Laxmidhar landed a job with a consultancy firm of Nalco’s smelter plant. However, his oversized head became a hurdle in his career. He couldn’t find a helmet large enough to fit his head in the market. Since wearing a helmet is mandatory for a worker in an industrial unit, he had to let the opportunity go.
Besides losing a job, Laxmidhar faces a lot of difficulties in day-to- day life. He doesn’t get petrol from the filling stations when he goes without a helmet. Often he had to pay fine when caught by the traffic police without helmet.
“I am feeling awkward for the unusual size of my head. Not getting a job and paying fine for my head size is double whammy,” said Laxmidhar.
He would approach the district administration to extend some help for his family, added the youth. PNN
