Shiv Sena comes good on its promise, delivering supplies to cyclone-hit old-age home, while MNS explores means to move elders to an air-conditioned auditorium
Suman Randive, the retired teacher, reads the day’s mid-day on Thursday. Pic/Hanif Patel
The Thackeray cousins, keeping their political differences at bay, joined hands to quickly send help to the old age home in Vasai, and received the blessings of their school teacher who had sent out an SOS call. mid-day had brought to light the plight of the inmates of New Life Foundation, which was destroyed by cyclone Tauktae last week.
Relief materials arrive at the New Life Foundation in Vasai
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Truckloads of relief material, including bricks, cement bags, asbestos sheets, mattresses, mosquito nets, bed sheets, pillow, iron angles, and also dry ration and first aid kits reached the New Life Foundation on Thursday morning. The retired school teacher, Suman Randive, thanked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray.
“Uddhav and Raj called me. I felt so good. They had promised to help and they sent truckloads of relief material to revamp this old age home where I am staying. They have promised me that they will visit me soon here. May God bless them,” she said while speaking to mid-day. “Thank you, beta, Uddhav and Raj!” she added.
Also Read: Uddhav Thackeray’s teacher sends SOS to CM after cyclone Tauktae
The youth wings of both Shiv Sena and MNS had jumped to action after reading mid-day’s first report on May 26. Yuva Sena Core Committee Member Rahul Kanal said, “The chief minister and his son Aaditya have told me to extend all the possible help. mid-day’s story touched our hearts and we swiftly acted to assist with all the relief material we could send at the earliest.”
Raw material arrives
“The old age home owner, Rajesh Moro, wants to concretise the roof, so adequate raw material has been sent to them. I visited the old age home and met the teacher. She was very happy to see us and showered us with her blessings. It gave me satisfaction to see the smile on her face,” said Kanal. He also handed over a cheque to Moro for the labour cost of the repair work.
“We are also planning to give them a few wheelchairs. During my visit, I noticed that most of the inmates are unable to stand properly, while others need the help of walkers,” he added.
Palghar and Thane district president of MNS Avinash Jadhav also visited the shelter home on Thursday. “Our party president [Raj Thackeray] has sent me here after the tearful story on his school teacher was published in mid-day. He has told me to help the old age home with the repairs with all the relief material required.”
Search for temporary shelter
“We have decided to shift all the 29 elderly inmates to a safer shelter with air conditioning facility so that the repair work can be expedited,” Jadhav said. We are in touch with government bodies to decide on the place for the inmates. We will also arrange nutritious food for them,” he added.
“Randive ma’am has taught our political guru [Raj]. So, this is the least we can give her in return as ‘guru dakshina’,” Jadhav said.
MNS youth wing vice president Akhil Chitre has gifted three cans of 12-litre compressed oxygen to Moro during his visit.
A medical team tests inmates for Covid-19 on Thursday. Pics/Hanif Patel
The proprietor of S R Dalvi Foundation, which works for the welfare of teachers in the state, also visited the spot and donated Rs 1.50 lakh to the New Life Foundation. “We reached here after reading a cover page story in mid-day,” said Ramchandra Dalvi.
Vasai Taluka tehsildar Ujwala Bhagat sent 50 sheets of asbestos on Thursday, said Moro, adding that “Shubham Sarvankar from Bandrekarwadi Mitra Mandal in Jogeshwari East has sent us iron angles to install asbestos sheets.”
Inmates get indoor games
Vasai-based NGO Samadhan Foundation has given indoor games, like carrom board, chess and ludo. We are also planning to send a refrigerator and a television set, said its president Avinash Kuse.
Vasai sub-division officer Swapnil Tangade sent his medical team for the antigen test of all inmates and staff of the old age home.
“A lot of people have come here after mid-day published their story. So, the risk of exposure to the virus is high, as inmates are weak due to old age,” said Dr Rugved Dudhat, medical officer at a government hospital in Agashi in Virar West. Dudhat and his medical team members, including Dr Chetna Mandot, conducted the test and everyone was found safe. Before heading back, the medical team gave 10 litres of hand sanitisers and 200 masks.
Relief sent by CM
Relief material sent by CM Uddhav Thackeray includes 320 bags of cement, 20,000 bricks, 100 kg rice, 100 kg atta, 100 kg onion, 100 kg potato, 100 kg tea, 100 litres oil, 50 kg sugar, 50 kg dal, 50 mosquito nets, 50 mattresses, 50 bed sheets, 50 pillows and 100 kg fruits.
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