Burrakatha artistes turn trash collectors, hang by a thread

Burrakatha artistes turn trash collectors, hang by a thread
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Highlights

Decades of utter negligence by authorities result in 150 families living in Budagajanga basti under inhuman living conditions

Hyderabad: Migrants from Palamuru district, with many of them from Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s Kodangal assembly constituency are in a death trap. They are the traditional ‘Burrakatha’ folk artistes from southern Telangana who have turned into garbage collectors in the city.

As death and disease become a norm, decades of utter negligence by authorities result in some 150 families living in Budagajanga basti into inhuman living conditions. With no amenities like power and running water, for each household it is a daily battle for catching hold of the limited resources. With deteriorating conditions, the residents have complained that the life expectancy has dropped further, as one 45-year-old Krishna died after prolonged illness on January 2. “He was suffering from paralysis for some time and also undergoing treatment for infection which affected his brain. In each household, at least one person is suffering from one or the other type of disease. Paralysis has become very common, with even children are falling prey to it,” said M Laxman, a basti resident, while pointing towards Sunil, a 30-year-old labourer who recently suffered a stroke, as his wife Meena bemoans.

Laxman’s younger brother, who has four children is struggling to raise his four children, three of whom are born with complete blindness. M Ganesh’s children including a seven-year-old boy and two girls aged five and two are declared 100 per cent blind. “This has become a daily struggle to raise them, as we are unable to focus on work. Despite having certificates of 100 per cent blindness, there is no support whatsoever from the government, let alone sending them to far-off blind schools” laments Ganesh.

Similar is the situation for most, as almost all the families struggle to get coverage under various government schemes. Durgamma, an elderly woman, said that despite applying for Prajapalana she is yet to get pension, even as scores of other women rush to show their ration cards. Even the physically handicapped among both elderly and young continue to run from pillar to post for getting the pension benefits. “Even to get a caste certificate we had to pay Rs 5,000. Despite all this, most of us face utter neglect. Those handful who are covered under the pension scheme were enrolled during YSR government,” recollects Laxman.

The garbage collectors who received vehicles from the government on subsidy in three different phases serve areas of Tolichowki, Shaikpet, Gudimalkapur, Mehdipatnam, Karwan, Golconda and parts of Rajendranagar. They make somewhere between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. The basti, spreads across 2.5 acres near Gudimalkapur, has poor sewerage and drinking water facilities. “For 150 houses, only a single tap connection is provided. It’s an everyday struggle for these people. It is my request from the government to resolve their issues and bring them out of this situation,” said Congress party contestant from Karwan Osman Al-Hajri, who took up their issue.

Residents recall that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy during his campaign at the time of Assembly polls had promised to alleviate their problems. They were also promised 2BHK housing, but none of the officials have reached them as part of the survey, as close to 10 families share a single bathroom.

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