8.8.24. 11am IST
Seldom one hears about IAS officers going out of their way after office hours and on public holidays to help the poor & homeless especially senior citizens.
Well we have an opportunity to have experienced one such IAS officer Mr Arun K Mishra , Secretary of WCD , Government of Goa, who understood the ground reality of a goan elderly homeless women aged 88 years.
Saturday late night 3.8.24, there was this 88 years old goan women in need to shelter and a local police station in Salcette was handling her , where this matter was reported for her safety & long term rehabilitation.
Basically under WCD , there are 2 NGOs one in north & one in south , under a central government scheme which comes directly under the WCD Secretary to have helped this lady.
Both NGOs could not help in their NGOs on whatever grounds that night of 3.8.24.
I am not getting into that.
Let the authorities investigate.
So I was called as usual as our homes are always used for anyone & everyone across all departments to take in all & sundry , 24 * 7, to admiitt all in need of shelter & care.
I point blank refused as I wanted to know, how and what plan is available to Goa Police , which I realized on Sunday morning 4.8.24 , that there is no plan except Street Providence.
But last week on 30.7.24 , it has been disappointing & disturbing @ Street Providence to an extent we almost shut down all our ladies home but for the intervention of The CM ,
Mr Subhash Phal Dessai, Mr Guru Pawaskar & other important secretaries of Goa Government.
Sunday 4.8.24 , a police officer handling this 88 year old homeless lady was practically in tears as there was no old aged home or any other home to shelter her.
The officer is a new recruit with a small baby at home and the stress was beyond the officer expectations.
That's what i have been going through last 7 years dealing with so many homeless requests & practically peanuts in the form of grants from the Government.
Top it all , DD of WCD phone switched off , when it was most needed but it's Sunday.
Only phone available was Secretary of WCD, which the police officer called and explained the dire situation the police station was facing.
Immediately Mr Mishraji took the initiative to reach out to Street Providence but since I was, disappointed, upset , too stressed & it being a sunday, I too had my both phones confiscated by my family and ultimately both my phones were off .
Our Manager Sapnesh Salgaonkar was the next to be contacted both by the police officer & on a request from Secretary WCD , Mr Mishraji , this lady was admitted into our home.
WCD Secretary could have just ignored this issue and enjoyed his Sunday.
Ultimately there is a department to handle this.
But no, WCD Secretary understood the ground reality what we @ Street Providence go thru quite often and reached out to us & the police by requesting & seeing that our manager did the needful ie rehabilitating this 88 year old goan homeless lady, which was taken care by the manager Sapnesh Salgaonkar.
I am sure on that day WCD Secretary must have understood the actual ground reality faced by Goa Police towards homeless on the streets especially ladies.
Many times I loose my cool and take rash decisions and this was one difficult decision i took that night of 3.8.24 , that we will not accept the lady let Goa Police break their head.
And often , it's either my trustee cum sister Joanita Pinto or our operation manager Mr Sapnesh Salgaonkar who calm me down and rise up to get the problem solved to avoid any harassment or untoward unpleasantness towards the homeless.
Mr Mishraji , we appreciate your concern and willingness to contact us even though you know the troubles we go through at WCD for no fault of ours.
The 88 year old Goan homeless lady is taken care off at our women shelter home and we are committed to her care as it's going to be permanent.
We also are committed to taking in more homeless ladies with Secretary of WCD assuring all possible help to permanently sorting out all issues with WCD under the instructions of
The Hon CM of Goa.
It's time more IPS / IAS / DIRECTORS of Government departments go out of their way without being afraid of any Ministers and help the poor & needy as that's what their position & designation calls for.
All communications strictly through whatsapp messages only on 8380097564
God bless you all
Donald Fernandes
8380097564 / 7020314848






