Mancherial: Elderly couple battling odds to get pension

An elderly couple belonging to a weaker section is running from pillar to post to get a social security pension sanctioned to help them keep the pot boiling

Mancherial: In a heart-moving tale, an elderly couple belonging to a weaker section is running from pillar to post to get a social security pension sanctioned to help them keep the pot boiling. They submitted an application to Collector Badavath Santosh here on Monday.

Lapaka Pentaiah, a 65-year-old man suffering from Parkinson’s disease from Somanpalli village in Chennur mandal and his 54-year-old wife Rajamma, whose legs were amputated in 2019 due to some infection, managed to reach the district headquarters with the help of a relative by engaging an auto-rickshaw.

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Pentaiah lamented that they were struggling to survive as they don’t have any source of income. He said that he was diagnosed with the disease some 15 years ago. Since then, he was unable to walk and was forced to crawl. So did his wife after losing her legs to the infection. Rajamma bemoaned that they were not engaged in a job considering their disability.

The hapless couple said that they were roaming around the office of the Medical and Health Department to get a disability certificate which was required to apply for a social security pension. The couple said that they didn’t have anyone to look after them and were facing starvation sometimes. They said at times they relied on alms and begged for food.

The couple further said that the Collector advised them to visit the local Meeseva centre and apply for a social security pension. They earlier visited Government General Hospital for medicines to treat leg pains and other health issues.