Abandoned by Family, 70-Year-Old Woman Seeks a Roof Over Her Head

At an age when most senior citizens look forward to security and care, nearly 70-year-old Ranjit Kaur from Margindpura village in the Khemkaran constituency is living in a temporary tent beside a village pond. After losing her husband and being left without family support, she has appealed to the government, local administration, and charitable organizations to provide her with a permanent roof over her head. Ranjit Kaur said her husband passed away a few years ago. Following his death, both her son and daughter, after their marriages, left her to live on her own. With no one to support her, she left her matrimonial village and returned to her native village of Margindpura. However, she has still not been able to secure a permanent home and is currently surviving in a makeshift tent set up near the village pond. The elderly woman said living in the tent becomes extremely difficult during the monsoon season. Rainwater enters the shelter whenever it rains, while the location near the pond exposes her to the constant threat of snakes and other poisonous creatures. She said every night is spent in fear and uncertainty. Expressing her only wish, Ranjit Kaur said she hopes someone will help build a small permanent room for her so that she can spend the remaining years of her life with dignity and safety. Meanwhile, village Sarpanch Sukhdev Singh said the gram panchayat has allotted panchayat land to Ranjit Kaur for her residence. He explained that although the village has received funding for the construction of 25 permanent houses this time, procedural requirements prevented her name from being included in the current list. The Sarpanch assured that Ranjit Kaur's name would be given priority in the next round of housing grants and that every possible effort would be made to ensure she receives a permanent room. Residents of the village said it is a matter of serious concern that a destitute elderly woman is being forced to live in a tent under the open sky. They urged the government and district administration to treat the matter as a humanitarian priority and provide Ranjit Kaur with permanent shelter at the earliest so she can spend the final phase of her life under a safe and secure roof.