04 May,2021 05:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Celine Sequeira with the groceries on Monday
Help poured in from IC Colony and other areas of the city for 83-year-old Celine Sequeira who has been living without power and water in her 2BHK flat and went hungry for two days. People sent Sequeira food through online delivery and brought her groceries after mid-day's report on the woman's precarious situation. The local church sent her medicines.
Sequeira is a resident of Stone Castle Co-operative housing society. Her 40-year-old building is stuck in redevelopment-related litigation. With the BMC having declared it dilapidated and dangerous, residents were asked to vacate flats. This was followed by the snapping of power and water.
Of the total 57 members in the society, 28 are opposed to the redevelopment and 13 have filed a case against the developer, the society and the civic body.
Sequeira said, "Many people from IC Colony called me in the morning, they brought food and groceries like dal, rice, potatoes, salt, flour, milk, biscuits, tea powder, sugar and many more things. Two people sent dal khichdi from a restaurant, I don't know who they are. The church arranged medicines worth R3,000. I am really thankful to mid-day and all those who have helped me. However, the problem of no electricity and water continues. Some people also gave me mosquito spray and some gave me bottles of water. If power and water come back, I'd be able to live in this flat."
Another resident Helen D'Silva, a 45-year-old cancer patient who resides in another wing and has opposed the redevelopment, said, "Another society member Leela Ramgude opposes the redevelopment but she was made to give consent for it fraudulently. She wrote to the society committee but did not get a response. Our society has been categorised under C2-B (needing immediate repairs) by a private auditor. The BMC has declared it as C1, it is involved with the developer and the society committee and is forcing us to vacate flats."
