BHUBANESWAR: A village in Bargarh district worked under the

National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) on Saturday to contribute wages for the treatment of a child afflicted with liver

. Over 500 residents of Sarkanda village, around 400 km from here, renovated a village pond for the treatment of Subham Khamari, a three-year-old boy of the village.

"We decided that at least one person from each family will work for a day for Subham. Representatives from more than 90% families came forward," said Saroj Barik, who was among those mobilising people towards the noble cause. Those who worked include 100 women.

The village of 5,000 people comprises mainly farmers, small-time traders and landless labourers besides a handful of government servants.

Though all those who worked don't carry job cards under the rural job guarantee scheme, after the government authorities review the work, wages will be deposited in the name of those who already have the cards. "The same will then be donated for the treatment of the child," explained Laxmipriya Pradhan, the sarpanch. "We hope we will generate around Rs 50,000 though the child immediately needs Rs 1 lakh," she added.

The wage for one man-day, the work that one person is expected to do a day, is Rs 126. Besides, some of the residents who could not work have made voluntary donations for the cause.

Subham's mother Droupadi, who also worked under the MGNREGS along with other family members to generate funds for her son, said Subham was diagnosed with the disease a few months ago at the

and Hospital, Burla. Then he was referred to

in Cuttack. "Doctors have advised a surgery for which around Rs 1 lakh is required. Doctors are saying he can be cured if we are able to sustain the treatment," she said.

A

attended to Subham in Cuttack said chances of him getting cured is very high if properly treated as the cancer is in its early stages. Subham's father Nihar Ranjan is a small-time farmer who recently sold his bullocks for his son's treatment. "We came back from Cuttack last night after certain diagnostic tests and will again go there if we are able to arrange money for the surgery," said Nihar.

For Sarkanda residents, such a move of extending a helping hand is not new. They had undertaken a similar initiative to generate money to help a blood cancer patient around four years ago. Though the patient did not live, this time villagers are optimistic that they will be able to save the child. "If needed we will do similar work one more day," said Biswaranjan Sha, a villager. Another benefit of the villagers' work: renovation of the pond lying abandoned for around a decade will help people get an additional source of water.