Kalyan: Children’s needs are paramount in times of a calamity. But a three-month-old baby can’t be expected to understand such exigencies and appreciate the virtues of patience, just because her housing society is submerged in knee-deep water. All she can do is howl, as this baby girl did, when she needed milk.
Her Mohan Tulsi Vihar Co-Op Housing Society was marooned with water swirling on all sides; access was difficult and residents of at least 38 building residents were stranded; shops and other establishments were shut and there was no question of milk or any other edible being supplied.
Anil Kumar Pandey, a former lawyer and a labour contractor, resides with his wife Jaya and two daughters -- Pajita Pandey (4), and three-month-old Akshaya -- along with his mother in Badlapur’s Phase 4 (J), Flat number 406, in the aforesaid housing society.
‘‘Chaos reigned as shops were closed and both my daughters were hungry and crying for milk. We were helpless and I decided to take recourse to Twitter.
I tweeted to the Chief Minister’s Office, the National Disaster Relief Fund, the Indian Navy and the Thane Commissioner, regarding my milk and water requirement.
At 6pm on Saturday, I received a call from the NDRF team, but none of their personnel could deliver the supplies,” said a dejected Pandey. “At this point, I got the help from a Badlapur NGO; two volunteers waded through five feet water to hand over one litre of milk at 10.20 am.
The same day, at 11.30 am, three more volunteers from a different NGO arrived with 8 litres of milk. I shared the supplies with our neighbours and housing society members,” adds Pandey.
Pandey alleges that only calls came from government authorities, but no help. “I ask the authorities one question: is there no one to address our problems in a situation like this? But, sadly, they are yet to give an answer,” Pandey rued.
