[India] Suicide exposes poverty

from The Statesman

The suicide of Rajiv Ghadei of Bandhadiha village has raised several questions on implementation of various social security schemes and the insensitivity of the administration at various levels.

Villagers who had helped Rajiv, a paralytic patient said that he was virtually forced to commit suicide as his efforts to get assistance for medical treatment his elder son and complete his IAY house failed. He died on 14 February after consuming poison.

This is the second shocking case of death over the last fortnight in the Rasulpur block area of Dharmasala Assembly constituency which was adjudged the model constituency in Orissa. Earlier there were allegations of a hunger related death in the block.

Narrating the plight of Rajiv, villagers said he begged for a living ever since all his assets and hut were destroyed in a fire last year. They had helped him erect a shanty. Rajiv ran from pillar to post for a IAY house. Some unscrupulous officers wanted a cut from the allocations made to him.

Even on 9 February Rajiv had met district collecter Dr Aurobindo Padhee and informed him of his plight alleging that lower level officials were seeking bribe for release of IAY installments.

The collector acted promptly issuing directives to the block-level officers who in turn asked Rajiv to meet them on 13 February. Boula, widow of Rajiv alleged that on 13 February the concerned officers at the block did not turn up while a few touts at the office again asked for bribe.