From Mayukh Goswami
Mangaldai: For the last many days everyone passing through the busy district Library Chariali here can’t deny noticing a lady at her early fifties with short but distorted hair wearing a red blouse and wrapping herself in a blanket. Most of the time she could be noticed sitting alone on the covered drain near the library wall along the NH-15 and sometimes she is witnessed in other nearby areas towards bazar road. But she is not noticed begging or approaching passersby for money and anything in need. Even though the area connecting the circuit house on the East and Deputy Commissioner’s office on the West is frequently visited by all section of people from our modern civilized society including administrators, police, doctors, journalists, political leaders and women activists among others, the lady actually left unnoticed.
This correspondent on curiosity to know the story behind the situation approached the lady. She introduced herself as Nibedita Bharadwaz and a resident of Hazarikapara Devananda village under Sipajhar police station of the district. On being asked about the reason for moving alone aimlessly, she just said, ‘ It is a matter of money ‘. Before avoiding further questions and slowly moving away, she in her low voice stated that she has shelter for night but if we are to provide shelter, she will stay. ” I have shelter for night. If you can give better shelter I can stay.” But where this lonely lady takes night shelter and how far this shelter is safe – nobody bothers including the government department at the helm of affairs.
This correspondent on Thursday brought the matter to notice of District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) with a photograph. She is stated to have sent someone from the Dhula destitute home to pick her up but the lady couldn’t be traced by the people concern. Later on Saturday, when this correspondent reported again close from the lady itself, the DSWO, Madhurima Bora advised this correspondent to submit an application so that she could issue an order in this regard. “You submit an application as I haven’t seen the lady and then I will issue an order for her shelter,” she said over phone. It may well be mentioned here that couple of months ago a decomposed body of mentally ill homeless person was recovered from the rare campus of the district library here.
