| Publication: Times Of India Nagpur; | Date: May 4, 2007; | Section: Times Nagpur; | Page: 2 |  |
Widow writes her sad tale to Manmohan
Ramu Bhagwat I TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com
Nagpur: Shivaji Betwar, a young farmer of Kelapur village in Yavatmal district committed suicide in August last, as he was refused bank loan for his farming operations. Ironically, his widow Mangala, left for to fend for herself and two little sons, was denied compensation by the government citing the reason that her husband was not under any debt burden as he had no bank loan against his name!
Her poignant tale will now reach Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the widow has written to him a letter two days ago about her desperate situation. With no in-laws or other relatives to support her she is unable to cultivate the four-acre land left behind by her husband. She went to live at her brother's place at Besa in Andhra Pradesh's Adilabad district, just across the nearby border from Pandharkawda. But himself a poor farm labourer barely able to meet both ends meet, he was not able to look after her forcing her to return to Kelapur.
"My husband was a cotton grower. He was refused a loan by Bank of Maharashtra's Pahapal branch despite the his not being a defaulter. That forced him to commit suicide. I was given the hope that the government would help me. But today I was told by tahsildar that the district collector of Yavatmal has rejected my compensation claim citing the reason that my husband had no outstanding loan when he ended his life," wrote Mangala to the PM. Her elder son is seven years old , the younger one barely four. With the responsibility of taking their care, she is in no position to take up farming activity .
Now she is going from pillar post seeking help. On Thursday she met sub-divisional officer Sarang Kodulwar at Pandharkawda , who has promised to get her compensation case reviewed.
Mangla Betwar with her children
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