KALAIGAON, July 17 � She lost her mother when she was just eight-months-old. Her mother Lakshi Dey died in a mysterious burning incident at Birubari, Guwahati five years back. Father Syamol Dey had abandoned her the very next year and disappeared forever. Grandfather Pramod Debnath took the helpless Priyanka to his house at Puthimari village near Kalaigaon after the death of her mother. Life was colourful for Priyanka in the company of her grandfather. But something terrible was waiting for little Priyanka. She lost her vision completely in 2009 due to pox infection. The illiterate Pramod could never understand that she was losing her vision. It was too late to realise the cruel reality. This is the miserable heart-rending story of a 5-years-old blind girl of Puthimari village near Kalaigaon.
This correspondent saw the sad Priyanka at a programme at Gandhi Bakori on July 13 organised by DKN (Durgat Kalyan Nyas) an NGO founded at Kalaigaon to help the poor and sick. DKN has arranged financial assistance for 11 meritorious students coming from poor families who had shown good results in the last HSLC and HS examination 2012. The NGO also provided financial assistance to three critically ill patients including Priyanka Dey. It needs mention that DKN has been giving financial assistance to poor and sick people for last four years. The programme was presided over by its founder president DN Hazarika, circle officer, Harisinga Revenue Circle, Tangla.
Attending the charitable session as the chief guest, Bikon Deka, Senior Manager, Bhutiachang TE and chairman ABITA, Mangaldai Circle declared that he would arrange complete education for the blind girl in Kolkata along with possible treatment. Tears rolled from the eyes of grandfather Pramod when the declaration was made. Bikon Deka also personally donated an amount of Rs 10,000 to DKN. On the occasion, he requested poor students and patients not to lose hope at any moment. He cited the lease of Sonmoni Bora, IAS, presently serving as City Commissioner in Raipur (Chattisgarh) who too had come from a poor family of Assam. He advised students and others to continue their struggle till victory. Professor Binoy Kumar Medhi (ex-principal, Tangla College); Sat Ram Deka, secretary. Darrang Zilla Sahitya Sabha; Social worker Kami Ram Saharia, Arabinda Das, Principal, Kalaigaon College and retired teacher Sukleswar Deka also spoke a few words on the occasion.
