Lucknow, Aug. 19 -- In a shocking case of official apathy, a 70-year-old woman in Lucknow has been running from pillar to post to prove that she is alive after the Social Welfare Department declared her "dead" on paper and stopped her pension.
Ram Dulari, a resident of Chakbankat village in Daulatpur under Bakshi Ka Talab tehsil, said her pension was abruptly discontinued one and a half years ago. Since then, she has been making rounds of government offices, pleading with officials to acknowledge her existence.
On Monday, during the Samadhan Diwas (public grievance day) at the tehsil office, Ram Dulari broke down before the officers. Folding her hands in desperation, she pleaded before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM): "Sahab, I am alive, yet my pension has been stopped. Please restart it."
Moved by her plea, SDM Bakshi Ka Talab heard her complaint and directed the Social Welfare department to resolve the matter at the earliest. He also ordered an inquiry to determine who was responsible for marking her as dead and on what grounds. "If anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken," the SDM said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.