Octogenarian Crawls To Panchayat Office For Old Age Allowance: District Admn Ensures Help After Orissa High Court Judge Intervenes

Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo, senior-most Judge of the Orissa High Court and Executive Chairperson of Odisha State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA) has directed the District Administration of Kendrapara to provide old-age allowance to an octogenarian at his doorsteps and also to ensure a pucca house for the ailing senior citizen, who was living in a dilapidated thatched house without even electricity.

Justice Sahoo went through certain reports published in local Odia newspapers wherein the story of Mr. Sridhar Sahoo, a resident of Kora village in Kendrapara district, was highlighted. The news coverages shed light on the story of the elderly man who, despite of his advanced age and ill health, was made to crawl to the Panchayat Office for receiving his allowances.

After learning about the same, Justice Sahoo immediately asked the Member Secretary, OSLSA to take appropriate steps and pass necessary directions for providing him allowances at his doorsteps. As per his direction, the in-charge Secretary of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Kendrapara Ms. Annapurna Nayak visited the house of the elderly man to assess his condition.

A video conference was arranged by the DLSA through which Justice Sahoo directly interacted with the octogenarian and took stock of his household condition. Justice Sahoo, being the head of the OSLSA, also directed Mr. Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, Collector, Kendrapara to not only provide allowances at his doorsteps timely but also to provide him a pucca house under government scheme.

The Judge also asked the Collector to ensure that not only Mr. Sridhar Sahoo but also every other deserving elderly persons from the district get their due. The district administration was asked to sensitively handle such cases where beneficiaries are not in a condition to visit government offices for receiving their allowances due to advanced age or ill-health or lack of transportation facilities.

The Collector assured Justice Sahoo that he shall ensure every possible help to the elderly man and also informed that the monthly allowances have already been paid to him by the administration.