This woman lives in a cement pipe for 2 decades

GULBARGA: If one sees this 70-year-old woman, who can not speak or walk, living in a cement pipe left on the side of the main road exposing herself to the cold winter and the sultry summer, then one would understand the hollowness of schemes like ‘Aasare’ and ‘Ashraya’, and the functioning of ‘Beggars Rehabilitation Centre’ in Gulbarga district.No one knows this woman’s name. She has been living in the cement pipe near Sharanabasaveshwara Temple for over two decades now. The surrounding is unhygienic, but she can not walk to clean it or take a bath.Devotees who visit the temple give some portions of ‘Naividya’ to her, and some people give her alms too. She does not face any shortage of food, but she is exposing herself to the harsh weather conditions throughout the year.Shabeer Sawas, who runs a petty shop near the temple, says he has been watching this woman living in the same pipe for two decades. Taking pity on the condition of the woman, some people living in the area collect money for her once in three months, help her clean up and change her clothes, and clean the dirty pipe themselves.Sawas says many VIPs including CM Sadananda Gowda and former CM B S Yeddyurappa visited the shrine after crossing this cement pipe. Some of the VIPs have promised to provide her a house under the Ashraya Scheme. But nothing has been done yet.The rehabilitation centre, is supposed to help beggars. Caretaker of the centre Narasing Rathod told Express that the centre would only search for beggars who harass the public and take them in after getting permission from concerned tahsildars. At present 45 beggars had been accommodated in the centre, he said. Though the centre provided shelter to beggars, it did not have enough facilities to take complete care of such incapable beggars at all times, he added.