Relief for Uddhav Thackeray’s teacher and old age home; leaders, officials swing into action

The inmates were beaming as a stream of visitors met them on Wednesday promising help. Pic/Hanif Patel

The cyclone-hit old age home, New Life Foundation, from where a school teacher of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other political heavyweights sent an SOS message to get the shelter repaired before the monsoon, was visited by government officials, politicians and good Samaritans on Wednesday to the delight of the inmates. Shiv Sena's youth wing has promised to bear the cost of repairs apart from getting beds for the inmates.

As Tauktae tore through the structure of New Life Foundation, its 29 elderly inmates as well as staff members were forced to sleep on broken beds without mattresses as these got drenched in the heavy rainfall.

Rajesh Moro, who runs the facility, said, "A number of people as well as media persons visited the old age home after mid-day published a story on Wednesday. The Tehsildar madam too visited and conducted the survey of the damage."

Efforts are now on to fix the roof before the onset of monsoon

Suman Randive, who has taught the likes of CM Thackeray, his cousin Raj and cabinet minister Jayant Patil, "Please get it repaired before the onset of monsoon, else we will have no space to hide ourselves."

"Thank you, mid-day for conveying my message to the chief minister," said the 88-year-old former teacher of Balmohan Vidyamandir, Shivaji Park.

Also Read: Uddhav Thackeray's teacher sends SOS to CM after cyclone Tauktae

Tehsildar Ujwala Bhagat said, "I read the story in the morning and visited the old age home whose asbestos roof got blown off in the cyclone. I also interacted with the elderly people there. We will get the roof covered at the earliest," Bhagat said.

The inmates haven't had a good night's sleep ever since Tauktae ravaged their shelter in Vasai

Readers too thanked this correspondent for front-paging the heart-touching report on mid-day. Shiv Sena's youth wing president Rahul Kanal said, "Our leader Aditya Thackeray has asked me to extend all possible help to the old age home." They plan to give 30 beds and mosquito nets and make the roof concrete as a long-term solution. "I have asked Moro to get me a quotation for the whole repair work at the shelter home. We will bear all the expenditure for the same," Kanal said.

"It was really a very very emotional piece which mid-day has published highlighting the deplorable condition of the school teacher of hon'ble chief minister and other prominent politicians. We will extend all possible help before the onset of monsoon," Kanal said.

On Randive's wish to meet the CM, Kanal said, "Once I visit the shelter, I will connect her with the CM on video conferencing."

Sena's deputy president of Vasai taluka, Diwakar Singh and his associate Pankaj Deshmukh among those who visited the shelter on Wednesday. "Our minister Eknath Shinde told me to visit the old home." He too promised all possible help.

Avinash Kuse, the president of local NGO Samadhan Foundation, too called on the shelter owner. "Not only the roof, but also the structure has got damaged. I have suggested to the owner to first get the structural audit of the premises before making its roof concrete. I have noticed a few cracks in the wall," said Kuse.

Apart from repairing the shelter, a new building can also be built since the premises is huge, said Kuse. This way, they can accommodate more elderly persons, he said.

The zonal deputy commissioner of police Prashant Wargunde said they are trying to explore if a company can be roped to help the shelter under its CSR activity. "We got to know about the damage to the shelter through mid-day. We are working on to get funds to keep their shelter home secure. Though it will take time, we will not give up," Wargunde said.

MNS's youth wing leader Akhil Chitre said they functionaries are also trying to assess the damage. Calls and messages to MNS chief Raj Thackeray and cabinet minister Jayant Patil went unanswered.

Despite the odds, the elderly inmates were seen dancing to music blaring from a cellphone. "I am planning to get the TV set repaired once the restoration work is complete," said Sarita Moro, the wife of Rajesh.

29
No. of inmates at the old people's home