Keonjhar, May 26: A shocking case of alleged administrative neglect has come to light from Damodaragaini village under Slaikena Panchayat in Telkoi block of Odisha’s Keonjhar district, where a family of eight has been forced to take shelter inside a goat shed after their home was completely destroyed in a fire last December.

The family, headed by widow Maki Munda, includes her three sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. With no roof over their heads, they are now surviving in inhumane conditions along with livestock, raising serious concerns over their safety, health, and dignity.

Maki’s ordeal began years ago after the death of her husband, Sanatan Munda, who worked as a daily wage labourer. He reportedly fell seriously ill due to an unidentified disease but could not receive proper medical treatment because of financial hardship, eventually succumbing to his illness and leaving the family devastated.

Following his death, Maki took on the responsibility of raising her children alone, working as a labourer in nearby households. Despite extreme poverty, she managed to raise her family and arrange marriages for her children. The family was living in their ancestral home until disaster struck again when a fire engulfed and completely destroyed the house in December.

Since then, the family has been left without any shelter. Locals say repeated appeals were made to the administration seeking urgent assistance, but no meaningful help was provided. Even basic emergency relief such as polythene sheets was reportedly not supplied.

Forced by circumstances, the entire family shifted into a nearby goat shed, where they now live in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. The fear of snakes and wild animals remains constant, especially during nights. During the ongoing heat, they cook in open spaces under trees, while the approaching monsoon has deepened their anxiety about survival.

Villagers have demanded immediate government intervention, including housing support under welfare schemes. They also pointed out that Maki Munda, despite being a widow, has not yet received her widow pension benefits. At present, the family survives on ration rice and irregular earnings from daily wage labour performed by the sons.

When contacted, Telkoi Block Development Officer Purnachandra Naik said the family would be considered for inclusion under the Antyodaya scheme and provided housing assistance. He also assured that temporary polythene shelter would be arranged on priority.