By Sameer Ahmad
Anantnag: Rehti Begum working as a sweeper at Sub Health Center Batengoo in Anantnag district, since 1980 has been receiving Rs 100 as monthly harmonium for her services.
Rehti Begam’s husband Gh Mohd Gooru died in 1982 and left behind a family of seven children including three daughters.
Rehti took care of the children of which four are now working as laborers and are living separately.
She continues to live with her younger son.
Talking to INS Rehti Begam said that when she joined in 1980 in sub center health at Batengoo Anantnag she was paid Rs 10 per month, till 2014.
“In 2014 the health department hiked her salary to Rs 100 and same conitnues till date,” she said.
“My younger son and me have met every official from Health department so that i could have a better salary but pleas have been falling to deaf ears,” she said.
“I have dedicated my entire life to clean government Health center, 40 years of service, I am still getting Rs 100 monthly. How can a family survive on less than one rupee per day?” Rehti asked.
She said that she for several times met Block medical officer at Yaraipora kulgam along with order copies asking for hike in salary. But she claims that she was told her ‘documents were lost’.
“I don’t know how they were lost in office,” Rehti says.
One among the four sons of Rehti Begam namely Mushtaq Ahmad Gooru died two months back due to Kidney failure.
“Nobody helped me. I did my best to raise my kids. I started doing odd jobs just to be able to provide for my kids. I faced a lot of hardships but I braved them all for my children,” she said.
Not only Rehti, some sweepers in education department in south Kashmir Anantnag District are being paid a maximum salary of Rs 20 or 30 per month.
Besides Rehti, another sweeper of school education department from Shimhal Zone achabal working in middle school from last 28 years getting salary for a month of Rs 25.
