Balasore, June 2: The Odisha government has finally responded to the plight of Mona Majhi, the destitute woman who has been living in a cremation ground in Balasore for the past seven years. Following Prameya’s exclusive report titled “Masani Manisha Mona Majhi” published on May 20, the administration has initiated steps for her rescue, rehabilitation, and inclusion under various government welfare schemes.
Acting on the report, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) has directed Balasore Collector Surjyabanshi Mayur Vikas to ensure Mona’s rehabilitation and submit a detailed report on the government benefits extended to her. Sources said that Balasore Municipality is likely to shift Mona to a Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) facility on Tuesday.
Mona has been surviving in a dilapidated structure inside the Balighat cremation ground under Ward No. 24 of Balasore Municipality. For years, she has lived amid a haunting environment, sharing the cremation ground with stray dogs and jackals. She survives on leftover food discarded at the site and uses torn blankets and clothes brought for funeral rites. Wearing tattered sarees, she is often seen wandering near funeral pyres.
The shocking condition of her life came to light through Prameya’s exclusive report, which triggered immediate legal attention. Within 24 hours of the publication, a case was registered in the civil court. Subsequently, on May 22, the District Legal Services Authority took suo motu cognisance of the matter and issued notices to the District Collector, District Social Security Officer, Chief District Medical Officer, and the Executive Officer of Balasore Municipality, seeking an inquiry and necessary action.
The authority had directed the concerned officials to treat the matter with utmost sensitivity and submit a report by May 30. However, despite the deadline having passed, no concrete action had been taken on the ground until now. Neither had Mona been rescued nor had any visible inquiry been conducted.
With administrative machinery finally moving into action after Prameya’s report, hopes have risen that Mona Majhi will soon be rescued from the cremation ground and rehabilitated with dignity, ending years of neglect and hardship.
