Team Herald
MARGAO: Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai while reiterating that the elderly should be treated with respect and dignity, threatened to use the stick if Provedoria continues to neglect the inmates of the home for the aged managed by it at Margao.
He said that he has heard complaints that the inmates are given their dinner at 6 pm itself and the staff leave the premises keeping the main gate locked. “I have come here three or four times in the night and found the gates locked,” he said while asserting that this should not happen.
Assuring the Provedoria Director Vinayak Volvoikar that the government will deal with the matters that they need to address like paying salaries to the staff, he however asked the director to get the staff to treat the inmates properly.
“I am glad that we have been able to repair the premises in time as per the target set,” he said and specially thanked Deep Karapurkar of City Scape Developers who undertook the work as part of corporate social responsibility.
The entire wiring of the premises that was about 40 years old has been changed with circuit breakers and distribution boards installed. Besides 13 bathrooms have been renovated and fitted with Western style commodes. One new toilet cum bathroom has been constructed for the room where the bed ridden male inmates are kept.
Other work done include fitting of 50 inch LED television set, a 2 KVA inverter to provide power supply during power failures and two six liter geysers and one 15 liter geyser besides constructing a new wash basin.
While the back entrance wall that was threatening to collapse has been repaired the new walkway has also been constructed to give direct access to the main road. Deep refused to even give an estimate of the expenditure incurred.
Vijai also asked the local councilor Glenn Andrade to visit the old age home regularly to ensure that everything is taken care of and added that the maintenance of the garden and the repaired premises was also his responsibility.
