Paharia bamboo basket weavers can’t sell products Sunday, 19 April 2020 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA

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 Satrughan Paharia, 65, of Bendrabahal village under Khariar block is a bamboo basket weaver. Despite his old age, he makes six to eight baskets of different sizes every week and earns between Rs 200 to Rs 250 by selling them in weekly haats at Bargaon and Sanmaheswar villages. "This is the only source of my living, but due to lockdown, I am unable to sell my products these days. Had the Government not given three months’ rice and pension in advance, I would have starved," says Satrughan.

Debria Paharia, 65, has four members in his family. His son Abhiram migrated to a brick kiln in Secunderabad in mid-January. "He was forced to go there to repay a loan of about Rs 20,000 incurred for the surgery of his wife in the district hospital. The doctors said the baby was dead in the womb," says Debria.

The family got 60 kg of rice in advance for three months and Debria got Rs 2,000 as four months’ advance old age pension, which brought great succour for them. "We cook two kg rice every day and the stock provided by the Government in advance will help us manage till the end of this month, but what after that" asks Debria. "We are unable to fetch bamboo due to lockdown, not able to produce things. It will be difficult for us to manage after two weeks, when our food stocks are exhausted" adds he.

Rupkanti, 45, has a family of six members. Her husband is unable to work because of health problem. "He has not yet fully recovered from his kidney ailment. The burden of managing the family is upon me and my daughter," says Rupkanti. She had produced ten "Kurlis" (small baskets) earlier this month but could not sell them. Her 18-year-old daughter Laxmi is working in a brick kiln in Andhra Pradesh. She took ?.30,000 from the labour contractor in advance and spent it for treatment of her husband. The only succour for the family now is the rice provided under NFSA. "We have heard that the Government will give Rs 1000 to each ration card holder. It will be a great help for us, but we need employment opportunities after that," says Rupkanti.


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