Hapless widow appeals for grant of ex-gratia
In what may be a tale aptly going with the legal maxim "Justice delayed is justice denied" a sexagenarian poverty striken widow lady who is running from pillar-to-post seeking ex-gratia of her deceased husband for nearly two decades has been gripped in hassles of legal circles.
The happy going Ramapiyari Neur(64) was helpless,her dreams were shattered and future at bleak when their lone bread-winner the husband of Ramapiyari Neur Late Debnarayan Neur was shot dead by by unidentified militants on 8th December in the year 1998 at Kukurakata near Tangla town under then Darrang district and present Udalguri district. Though the government promised to offer 3 lakh as an ex-gratia amount only one lakh was received of which only three hundred was received by the victim family as alleged by Ramapiyari Neur. "I was offered only Rs.300 by a middleman who helped me in legal formalities and decamped with the cash. The middlemen is nowhere to be seen till date.", said an aggrievied Ramapiyari Neur. Neur alleged that she is yet to receive the remaining amount of two lakhs as an ex-gratia compensation.
What adds to the woes of the widow is that her only son has left her isolated,the 25 bighas of agricultural property left by her husband has allegedly been taken hold by her in laws kins. She was even forced to vacate her husband's home. She currently resides at her mothers place near Harisinga of Udalguri. The lady has been exhausted of knocking doors of administrative circles for grant of remaining ex-gratia compensation amounting to two lakhs. As the area fell under jurisdiction of then Darrang and present Udalguri . The lady has submitted all the necessary legal documents to the office of Darrang and Udalguri Deputy Commissioners Office but to no avail.
The prayer petition forwarded by Disaster Management branch of Udalguri DC office on 05-12-16 at Darrang DC office vide memo no. URR-21/2011/Pt-1/10184 a copy of which is available with this correspondent states that a petition was also submitted to Chief Minister office for release of remaining ex-gratia of two lakhs but to no avail. The widow who has literally been begging for her daily needs has not received widow pension or nor does any helping hand of government or organisation has reached her. The widow has now sought the intervention of the Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for granting her the ex-gratia amount an enable her to live a civilized life for the remaining years of her life.