Dhenkikote: Tanu Nayak, a resident of Langalkanti under Ghatagon block in Keonjhar, goes out with his trolley and keeps his pot boiling. Being landless, Tanu has built a shanty on a patch of government land.
“I earn from shifting commodities and articles of others on my trolley. Orders are available to transport cement bags, iron rods, grocery items, and other goods to different places,” he said.
With his meagre earnings, he has been able to manage his family and married off his two daughters. Besides, he has also educated his son up to Plus II. But Tanu is worried about his son. “My son sustained burns on his hands when he came in contact with an oil lamp. We have no electricity at home. His right hand is not working,” he bemoaned.
He gets up at 6am and goes out with trolley to the nearest bazaar, about one and a half km away. After a day’s hard work, Tanu earns anything between Rs 200 and Rs 400.
“With this meagre earning, it is difficult to manage family, grandchildren, sons and daughters of his two younger brothers, and their education expenses,” he lamented. His son gets Rs 300 as disability pension per month while 15 kg of subsidized rice is provided to the family.
Tanu, 55, is known as Tanu Trolleywalla. He has got a cell phone. Local traders dealing with utensils, minor forest produce, mahua flowers and grocery items have his cell phone number.
Initially, Tanu used to be a cowherd; later he bought a trolley to earn his livelihood. “On festive occasions, whenever other trolley pullers go to their native places, demand for Tanu’s trolley goes up.
“Since my son is paralysed, I have to work hard till my last breath. If the government provides me some help, I can take my son to Cuttack or Bhubaneswar for treatment,” he wished.
PNN