Uttar Pradesh: Family including 8 children forced to seek shelter in community toilet

For several years, Rajendra Nishad, a handicapped mason, lived in his hut along with his six daughters, two sons and wife. During the incessant rain in Sonbhadra, a giant neem tree fell on his hut, rendering the family homeless. The family has been allotted a house under the Pradhan Mantri Shahari Awas Yojana from the Municipal Panchayat Chopan, however, a sturdy roof to live under and decent premises continue to de a dream for the family.

Sonbhadra: A family including eight children are forced to live in a community toilet after a tree fell on their hut, damaging it amid incessant rains in the district. The poor family along with their eight children are now living inside a community toilet in Chopan Nagar of Sonbhadra District.

For several years, Rajendra Nishad, a handicapped mason, lived in his hut along with his six daughters, two sons and wife. During the incessant rain in Sonbhadra, a giant neem tree fell on his hut, rendering the family homeless. Thankfully, there were no casualties in the family during the accident. Subsequently, the homeless family was forced to seek shelter in the community toilet.

Nishad's wife Meera Devi told ETV Bharat that the family has been residing in their hut for the last 15 years. The family has been allotted a house under the Pradhan Mantri Shahari Awas Yojana from the Municipal Panchayat Chopan, however, a sturdy roof to live under and decent premises continue to de a dream for the family.

The first instalment for the construction of the house under PMSAY was released by the Nagar Panchayat about two years ago. But the house for the family has failed to materialize due to the absence of a second instalment.

The executive officer of Nagar Panchayat Mahendra Kumar Singh passed the onus of building construction on Nishad's family. "Even after passing the first instalment amid a domestic dispute, the victim's family could not get the house constructed. For now, arrangements will be made for temporary accommodation in the vacant rooms of Kanshi Ram Shahari Awas Yojana. Until their PM Awas Yojana house is ready, the family will stay there," Singh told ETV Bharat.