A Dalit family's sufferings in winter

BY GOKARNA DAYAL,Baitadi, Dec. 30: An elderly disabled couple and their daughter, currently studying in Grade 8, from the Dalit settlement in Jeude, Patan Municipality-4 in Baitadi district are struggling to survive the harsh cold weather. 

The family lives in a small thatched roof hut by the roadside. They do not have proper mattresses, blankets or warm clothes to withstand the cold. There is no water supply, electricity or even a toilet. They even lack sufficient food. Moreover, they are living alone, without any relatives nearby. "Whatever fate gives, we must eat that," said 69-year-old Dhane Lawad. Meanwhile, he also has to take care of his disabled wife. Since there is no toilet nearby, he must carry her to the nearest forest for relief. 

The future of Dhane’s disabled wife and their daughter depends entirely on him. Without electricity, the family struggles, especially at night when their daughter needs to use the toilet. The elderly couple often falls ill. The cold worsens their respiratory issues and they cannot afford hospital visits. As they have no access to the ward or municipality offices, Dhane’s wife, Rohini Lawad, has not been included in the government's housing programme.

When neighbours learned that the sick couple had no food, Man Bahadur Chand came to help by collecting rice on Sunday. He also helped them visit the health post. Unable to hold back tears seeing them eat corn flour mixed with nettles, Chand provided rice, something Dhane and his family had not had in a long time. 

At the local Bhumeswar Health Post, Dhane was advised to rest in a warm place and was given paracetamol after the cold caused him a fever. The winter rain had leaked through the roof, leaving the floor of their room cold. Rohini said that they had been sleeping on a wet floor, with old clothes spread over mats, to survive the night.

Around 65 Dalit families are residing in Jeude. Due to barren land, 90 per cent of the youth have gone to India for employment. 

Even though Dhane has the skill to work with bamboo, he is unable to buy bamboo shoots because it costs Rs. 5 per piece and he cannot afford the travel expenses. The bamboo collection has also stopped because of a recent fire in the nearby forest.

When asked about the elderly couple's situation, Mayor of Patan Municipality, Gaurish Singh Rawal, said that the municipality could immediately provide Rs. 5,000 

to Dhane. 

He added, "If they come with a recommendation from the ward office, the executive committee can decide to provide up to Rs. 25,000. We are also planning to train Dalits in bamboo crafts in Jeude to encourage self-employment."

Regarding the public housing programme, he stated that the municipality cannot select families, as they are chosen by the provincial government. The municipality's internal resources, totalling no more than Rs. 6 million annually, are insufficient to support all the poor families. The mayor said that the municipality is unable to provide financial assistance to everyone.