Uttar Pradesh: Family Striving for Basic Aminities

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Uttar Pradesh: Family Striving for Basic Aminities

Manoj Kumar Pandey/Shruti Nagvanshi 23/10/2008 10:03:06 AM(IST)

Doodh Nath Pal is the resident of Gokulpur village, Harhuaa, of Badagoan police station in Varanasi. He is very poor and belongs to other back ward class. He has been living in the village for more than twenty years. He used his voting right in many elections and he has voter identity card. He lived along with his family in a hut which was constructed over the land of Gram Sabha. His family comprises his wife Chirounji Devi, and four children Soni Natthu Pal Kavita, and Namita. He earned his livelihood by daily wages labour.


One day the village head Shiv Shakti Singh alias Rajan Singh demolished the hut of Doodh Nath Pal along with his companion and Lekhpal (the lower authority dealing with land). They made the land plane with tractor. At that time it was raining heavily and his house hold articles were being damaged due to rain. His family became homeless. Even they had no place to cook food. His children became dependent over the mid day meal for food.


Doodh Nath Pal had made several complaints against village head in written to all authority like station house officer of police station Badagoan, SSP-Varanasi, District Magistrate Varanasi, Commissioner Varanasi Division, and Inspector General Varanasi Zone, but no one had paid heed to the plight of that poor person. Even the SO of police station Badagoan abused him and threatened him to put in prison in a fake case. After becoming penniless he sat on protest at District Head Quarter along with his family. When the health of his two children Kavita and Namita became deteriorating, the SDM First admitted them in Pandit Din Dayal Governmental Hospital. They were under treatment there for four days. Since his problem of residence was still unsolved, so he sat on protest again along with his family. At least the SDM Pindra came to him and assured him to allot land for his residence. He ended his protest and waited for action taken by administration in his favour, but no action was taken from the side of administration. Again he sat on protest along with his family. Here, the Chouki In charge of Kuchary admonished him not to sit on protest at night. Again the SDM Pindra came to him and assured him to allot land for his residence due to pressure exerted by media. On the same day the SDM Pindra ordered to Kanoongo and Lekhpal on phone to measure the land to allot the Doodh Nath Pal. At the same time the health of his child Namita became deteriorating due to malnourishment. So she was admitted to Pandit Din Dayal Governmental Hospital. Here, the SDM Pindra came to the hospital and assured the Doodh Nath Pal that he would be allotted two biswas (approximately 2730 sq ft) of land as soon as he would be discharged from hospital. At the same time he had given Rs 100/ as financial assistance to his family. Now it appeared that the problem of this poor person would come to an end and he would be allotted land for his residence, but his unfortunate had not left him.


When he had been released from hospital, he approached to Lekhpal and asked for allotment of land. The said Lekhpal replied that he after preparing somre related document and he would measure the land. Again when he contacted to Kanoongo, he said that he was participating in funeral. After becoming penniless Doodh Nath Pal contacted to SDM Pindra, Kanoongo, Lekhpal on phone, all of them assured that his land would be measured on the same day. He had waited till afternoon. Having seen no response from the side of administration he contacted to SDM Pindra on phone and asked for allotment but this time the SDM Pindra showed his inability and advised him to contact to District Magistrate. Doodh Nath Pal remained stun after hearing his answer and all his hopes have gone into sand dunes. Desperately he asked the contact number of District Magistrate, the SDM Pindra showed his inability and had not given the number. When he asked about the matter to Kanoongo, he said that the SDM Pindra had refused to measure the land.


It is alleged that the village head Shiv Shakti Singh alias Rajan Singh has personal enmity with Doodh Nath Pal as he had voted to other candidate in the election of village head. The village head has hand in glove with lekhpal (a lower authority to deal with land matter). The village head threatened many time to Doodh Nath Pal to leave village otherwise he would finish the life of Doodh Nath Pal and his family. The village head is very influential person and he has access to higher authority in police and administration. On the other hand Doodh Nath Pal is very poor and belongs to other backward community. The village head has tried to implicate in a case and showed that a criminal case is registered against Doodh Nath Pal in police station Mirzamurad, Varanasi.


In entire matter the role of administration can not be understood. On one hand they assured him to allot the land for residence but on the other hand they took back their order. They did not give any explanations for cancellation of their order. It seems that the SDM Pindra assured to allot the land only to finish his protest. He never had intention to allot the land to that poor person. However, in entire matter his family suffered a lot. His family have been deprived from their basic needs i.e. food, shelter. This is time when children are in need to be provided nutrient diet, but they are struggling for two meals, which violates the right to food provided in Indian Constitution. His two children Soni and Natthu Pal are school going but their study is badly affected in entire episode. It is the duty of state to protect the constitutional rights. Though Doodh Nath Pal has been living in the village for more than twenty years but he no ration card, BPL or Antyodaya card, job card have been granted to him. Since Doodh Nath Pal has no safe place to reside, so he is bound to sit on protest along with his family. He is compelled to live the nomadic life. It is the duty of state to provide basic amenities of life but state is showing negligence towards its duty.


Where on one hand the state machinery remain fail to perform its duty, PVCHR on other hand provide all assistance time to time. Having seen the malnourished condition of his child Namita, PVCHR had provided financial assistance of two thousands rupees through Ms Parul Sharma (NRI of Sweden), which finance the kitchen project of PVCHR. Apart from that PVCHR has complaint to District Magistrate Varanasi, and Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission, and to Chief Minister of U.P., Commissioner of Varanasi through its sister concern Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum (SWF) to provide him administrative help immediately. Recently Doodh Nath met with Home Secretary along with his family when he came on visit to Varanasi.