The Inexistent Highway..(Ep-25)

Reeha turned the papers 'On asking him he told that since all the formalities were over, he would be travelling back to the city. We had tears in our eyes; he hugged us and informed us to collect our papers the next day. We wished each other all the best for life ahead and parted ways. Garang came in our lives to help us, for the villagers he was an incarnation of Lord Megha, the rain god. It was like when the crops are about to die when the land is thirsty, Megha falls to quench the thirst. Garang came in our lives just like Megha. But like Megha, he also went away with no proper plans for a further meeting.

We returned to our villages with a heavy heart. This is how we villagers are, emotional, and we are quickly brought into words. We praise people who help us because there are only a few who understand our problems.

The same night we had a meeting, we were informed that as soon as we collect our papers, we will submit it in the principal office of the court and will quickly receive the funds in our respective accounts.

We all waited for the next day eagerly. The day would put an end to all our problems.

The next day we got up, performed all the rituals and went to the office where we submitted our land papers to get verified. Since it was only about the collection of our documents, only a few people went to the office, the head of the village, me and my father. As we reached the office, we saw that it was closed.

My father said that government offices are always like this. So, we decided to come here the other day.

The other day also the office remained closed. We re-executed the plan. We kept on coming, and the office remained closed. A whole week went like this and then a month. The lane work had started, and the government began pushing us out of the village. We registered a complaint against them, but our claim was rejected because the officers had papers that showed all our lands were given double the money plus the charges that we had earlier imposed on the government. But we didn’t receive a single penny. The officer told us to bring the land papers so that they can verify, but we didn’t have those papers because we submitted it in the office that was closed for a month. We had no paper left with us that could prove the land belonged to us. We begged the officers to come along with us to the office where we submitted our documents. They brought the guards along and broke the office lock. There was nothing in the office. The officers warned us to stop manipulating the situation and leave the village as soon as we could.It took us another month to realize that we were cheated. The only person who was an eye witness of all this was Garang, our lawyer.