Indira Awaas Yojana, (IAY) which came into effect in 1985 guaranteeing Housing for All for people living 'Below Poverty Line' (BPL). Despite the promised financial support and a solid roof over their heads, 15 Dalit families of Khalasi of Buxar district still reside in temporary slums and makeshift accommodations near a dump yard. While the whole country pays Swacch Bharat cess of 0.5% to for the Swacch Bharat initiative, the residents of Khalasi are forced to live in the filth, inhaling the noxious smells that emanate from the dump and drinking polluted water from the nearby area.
In spite of all the residents having BPL cards, the needed document for applying for IAY, the residents are deprived of the scheme. The residents have also submitted written applications for IAY several times over the past years, these families are stuck in the filth. Is it because they belong to the Dalit caste? Is it because we and the government authorities think that cleanliness is not as important to 'them', as to 'us'?
Let us give importance to their needs. Let us help their children flourish in a clean environment. Call the Block Development Officer of Buxar on +91-9431818455 and demand that these families are given houses under the Indira Awaas Yojana
This video was made by a Video Volunteers Community Correspondent Mamta Devi.
Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories. These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ they give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos at www.videovolunteers.org. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change.
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