Elderly woman stages dharna for pension in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Berhampur, Mar 2:

A 70-year-old woman has staged a dharna in front of sub-collectorate office in Bhanjanagar of Ganjam district demanding family pension.

The protester Madhuri Tripathy of Belaguntha Chasa Sahi of Ganjam district staged sit-in holding a photo of Mahatma Gandhi for the justice.

She has been demanding for the family pension after death of her husband, who was a teacher at government-run primary school.

According to reports, Madhuri’s husband Harihara Tripathy was a teacher at Nayakpada primary school. He died in 1978 when there was no provision for family pension.

Even as Madhuri was eligible for getting family pension as per the government notification 111/98 dated on March 23, 1998, she was deprived from her right.

Seeking justice, she moved the Orissa High Court in 1999. Hearing the case, the court directed the School & Mass Education department to provide family pension to the widow within three months.

As no step was taken by the department to provide pension, Madhuri again filed a contempt of court case against the department. On October 17, 2016, the high court ordered the government to provide her pension within three months. However, the administration did not obey the court order.

Madhuri threatened to end her life if demand is not met.