arsha Kelkar, Lady Assistant Sub Inspector, who is attached to Dabolim Airport Police Station, has displayed the humane selfless side of the police during the lockdown with her own individual social outreach attempts.
It all began, when she learnt that around 100-150 people including women and children were in distress due to sudden lockdown in the interior areas of Bethora – Nirankal, Ponda.
She then managed to visit the place and provided them with 25 kgs of rice, 15 kgs of dal, 10 ltrs of milk, tea powder, soaps, sugar, clothes etc.
This set the tone for Kerkar, who, besides her police duties during the lockdown, devotes her time to help the needy and helpless. She has also been personally cooking and preparing 50 packets of food at her residence regularly and giving out the same free of cost to people in Vasco using her own vehicle. It is to be noted that she is spending her own money for the same but she plays down this aspect, pointing out that there is still a lot of more work to be done.
Those who have been praising her efforts have also pointed out that she helped passengers stranded at railway station and continues to help out the labour class people.
She has also arranged to get masks stitched locally with her own expenses and she had distributed the same to the staff at Dabolim Airport Police Station and CISF staff attached to Dabolim Airport. She has also been providing the same free of costs to the homeless in Vasco, Chicalim and nearby areas in Mormugao.
Dabolim Airport Police said that Kelkar has also been strictly enforcing the lockdown, be it finding traffic violators or ensuring that foreigners maintain social distancing at the time of departures of the relief flights.
Recently, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jaspal Singh personally came to meet LASI Kelkar to appreciate her work. On this occasion Deputy Superintendent of Police P. B Shirvoikar and Dabolim Airport Police Inspector Gurudas Kadam were present who also applauded the work of their subordinate staff Kelkar.
“Today I have to come here to congratulate ASI Kelkar, who apart from being a good police officer is also a good human being. Besides doing her regular duty she is also serving society selflessly and it is proving to be helpful for some people who had no means to purchase food,” said the IGP.
He further listed the works she was doing and said that it has enhanced the reputation of Goa police. He also announced that she has already been adjudged as ‘Cop of the Day’, a scheme the Goa police has recently started. “Considering her work, I came here to honour her,” the IGP added.
Dabolim Airport Police Inspector Gurudas Kadam also praised her work and said ‘it is a matter of pride for them given that the work was carried out voluntary by Kelkar as per own self motivation. He also elaborated on the works she has done. He made a special mention of how she took up the work of serving the needy by identifying various spots and providing them with food and masks at her own expense. The PI added that his team is supporting her and that other police should also take inspiration from her.
Kelkar also thanked her higher ups and colleagues and family members, for helping her carry out her social work. She also added that many like-minded people and organizations have also approached her and extended their support to the cause.
She gave the example of a person from Gujrati Samaj, Dipak Shah, Prabodh Sethia, Bipin Patel to name a few. She added that she explained to them how she goes about her social work and the people helping her donated considerable amount of grocery and essential items, which she has used in preparation of food and distribution of goods.
She also said another person from
ISKCON namely Shyam, requested her to allow him to prepare the food for the needy and then urged Kelkar to distribute it to the needy. “Therefore from the last few days, Shyam has been preparing the food and then I collect the food from him and then distribute it to the needy people” she added.
When asked if she has a system in place to find these people, she said that she had told the homeless people to sit outside the
Religious places in the port town or the near railway station, bus stand, Goa Shipyard, Chicalim junction and that she goes there and meets them. She added that she also provides food to those who have been kept under quarantine at Bhutebhat area. So far, she has distributed essential grocery items to over 250 families of the labourers and needy and has covered the area of Shantinagar, Varunapuri, New Vaddem, Baina area.
She also added that she has also supplied essential commodities to those who do not have ration cards and others who are stranded in Goa since the lockdown.
Others pointed out that she also personally goes to people’s houses and enquires about their status.
On a concluding note, she also made a mention of Sierra housing society where she lives and that all 48 flats are contributing and cooperating in this noble cause of serving people in the lockdown.
