Royalty eludes nonagenarian Odisha writer since 20 years

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Feb 23:

A 90 year-old writer, Anandi Charan Sendha, has been waiting since 20 years for Rs 59,651 towards royalty from the Odisha government for his book included in the school curriculum of cyclone-affected regions in 2000.

Anandi Charan Sendha, a resident of Binjhapur area in Jajpur district, currently staying in Old College Lane in Cuttack’s Nimachaudi area, has been running from pillar to post to get his dues but his requests have been repeatedly ignored by the government.

In 2000, the state government had selected Anandi’s book “Bhulibini Bharat” published in 1997 for school students under Operation Black Board in cyclone-affected areas of the state. He was supposed to get Rs 59,651 as royalty from the government, but he did not get anything.  When the Chief Minister, Governor, Elementary Education Director and OPEPA did not respond to his request letters, he appealed to the consumer redressal forum. In 2006, the court ruled in his favour and instructed the government to pay him his due. But, the government has turned a blind eye and I am yet to get the money, said Anandi.

A teacher by profession, Anandi wrote his first book “Sugam Bijaganit” which was selected by Board of Secondary Education (BSE), but the publishers did not give him his Rs 2 lakh as royalty. He was harassed and frequently transferred following which he left his job and concentrated on writing as a profession.

Moreover, Anandi’s request for a lease land from the government without any premium has fallen on deaf ears.

In 1995, he had requested the then Chief Minister JB Patnaik for lease land. On CM’s directive, he went to Cuttack Sadar tehsildar who asked for Rs 48,000 to be deposited for the land. Anandi requested the money to be waived as he was very poor. It took six years for the district authorities to verify whether he owned any property. Thereafter, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) sent a letter to the revenue secretary requesting free lease land to Anandi.  In 2005, Revenue Department Secretary wrote to RDC that there was no such provision of free lease land by the government.

On November 2015, Sadar tehsildar demanded Anandi Rs 11, 30, 728 to be deposited for four decimal land in Cuttack Sadar. The teacher, writer and social reformer said, “How can someone who is surviving on Rs 500 old-age pension arrange for Rs 11 lakhs?”