Suraj Prakash Ahluwalia has set up a tea stall to earn some much needed bucks. Ahluwalia who is indisposed with a spinal cord injury has invested the savings of his lifetime in the flat that he has booked.
Ahluwalia in front of his tea stall
Setting up a tea and refreshment stall for fellow protestors is indeed a commendable and innovative way to earn a few extra bucks. This is exactly what Suraj Prakash Ahluwalia, a protestor of the alleged Amrapali scam, has done.
A retired employee from a private company, Ahluwalia has invested the savings of his lifetime in a flat at Amrapali Adarsh Awas Yojana in Noida Extension, which he had booked in 2009.
Ahluwalia who lives with his wife and son in Lodhi Road had met with an accident last year that has resulted in a delibating spinal cord injury. The accident ironically happened during a visit to the Amrapali office and now Ahluwalia is unable to walk beyond twenty minutes at a stretch.
“Standing for over 20 minutes gives me fits and at times leaves me unconscious. I am also undergoing treatment and my back condition requires a surgery. Doctors have said that the estimated cost is around five lakhs which I cannot afford,” he shares.
The makeshift tea stall at the sealed Amrapali premises in Sector 62 is selling tea, biscuits, cigarettes and pan masala. For a cup of tea worth Rs 10, people are given biscuits worth Rs. 2, free of cost. The stall has been a huge hit amongst protesters and within six hours of its opening the man has already clocked a profit of Rs 1200.
“I have started this shop to earn some extra income while still participating in the protests. While I have no money in my savings account owing to my age I am unable to take up any other work to sustain my family,” Ahluwalia told City Spidey.
After the Amrapali Awas Yojana failed, Suraj was assured a flat in a different project. However, sadly this compensation offer also fell through.
Ahluwalia’s wife Neeta, is a government employee while his son, Rahul is a student who also works in a private company to provide some financial support to the family.
