The main doorframe of the house sits loosely on the wall, with no cement plaster to bond them together and adjacent to the dilapidated house is a half-complete room without a roof on top, summing up the pathetic condition of the family which resides in it.
The inhabitant Raju, is an auto driver. About a decade ago he was pursing Intermediate in Hyderabad and doing a part-time job to support himself, when all of a sudden his life turned upside down. On October 27, 2011 he had to rush back to his village as his brother Kanakaiah, then aged 33 years, committed suicide by hanging.
The incident was a blow to the family. The first casualty was Raju’s education. Then, his father Uppalaiah’s health started deteriorating as his elder son, who took upon the family responsibilities, ended his life. The family revenues started dwindling and the interest amount on the ₹ 3 lakh debts incurred by Kanakaiah started piling up. Distressed, Uppalaiah too ended his life by consuming pesticide on September 16, 2014, a few months after formation of separate Telangana State. He too left a burden of another ₹ 3 lakh and the total debt of the family stood at about ₹ 6 lakh against a land holding of 1.8 acres.
In the meantime, Kanakaiah’s widow Pushpa and Uppalaiah’s widow Pochavva had to undergo surgeries for removal of uterus, which put additional costs on the family. Every day is humiliating for the family who have to put up with the insults from debtors who repeatedly demand repayment of their money.
“It’s a torture every day. They ask us when will we repay the debts and we have no answer . We are plucking flowers and selling them for a living with the support of Raju,” says Pochavva, adding that though several mediapersons visited them, no help has reached them so far. Recently they took up construction of a room as their house at present is not sufficient to accommodate the eight-member family of four children and four elders. But they had to discontinue midway unable to meet the expenses.