Srinagar, Feb 04 (KNS): Inside a dingy room made of tin sheets, light of winter afternoon sun piercing through a broken wooden door flashes on aluminium utensils of Taja Begum in her Kitchen in Braripora village of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.  

 

She says she has been left to fend for herself as no Government official or politician of the area has not provided her helping hand with any government scheme. 

 

“I am alive because of my neighbours.  I don’t have anything except this tin shed and clothes I wear. God and my neighbours are my only home who mange different items for me,” she told KNS.

 

When asked whether she approached any government official for any help, she said she is not helped by anyone as she doesn’t know anyone. 

 

“They give benefits to only those who have approach with politicians,” she said and alleged local ward member asked her to pay thousand rupees before few years ago to get a house under IAY scheme. I burrowed one thousand rupees from a neighbor but i have yet to get the house,” she said. 

 

Her neighbors said her two sons who were surrendered militants were kidnapped by unknown persons on April 1996.  Later the body of one person was retrieved from the nearby nallah while as the body of her another son is still missing, locals also added her third son was also killed by unknown persons on May 02 1996, and since then she was living with her husband who died few years back. 

 

The locals of the area have appealed the higher authorities to help her as there is no one to take care of her.

 

Taking to KNS, Municipality Committee Chairman (MCH) Handwara Masroor Banday said he is not aware of her case and said he will help her if she submits documents in his office (KNS).