Uddhav Thackeray’s teacher sends SOS to CM after cyclone Tauktae

The asbestos roof of an old age home in Vasai was blown away by Tauktae on May 17 night One of the inmates sustained minor bruises after a window panel on the first floor of New Life Foundation collapsed Among the over two dozen inmates at the shelter who have been left without a roof is a school teacher of political heavyweights including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray his cousin Raj and cabinet minister Jayant PatilSuman Laxmikant Randive 88 taught Maths and Science to primary children at Dadarbased Balmohan Vidyamandir until her retirement in 1991 The octogenarian said they have not been able to sleep for days as their beds got drenchedThe mattresses and the clothes of inmates were kept in the sun when midday visited the shelter run by a couple Rajesh and Sarita Moro Randive has requested her old students to get the shelter fixed soon so that they can at least have peaceful nights to sleepAlso Read lsquoCyclones in the North Indian Ocean are gaining intensity and that too rapidlyldquoYa Chakrivadalamule aamchya vruddhashramache chappar udale aahe Aamhi sagle vruddha aslyamule ratri jopayla khup tras hotohellip Macchar khup chavtat This cyclone has blown off the roof of our old age home It is very difficult to sleep at night because we are oldhellip mosquitoes bite a lotrdquo Randive told middayWith the mattresses and beds in a mess most of the inmates havenrsquot had proper sleep in the past weekldquoUddhav Beta mala tujhyashi bhetacha aahe tu Shivaji Park madhe shalet astana mi tula shikavle hote Ithli paristhiti khup kharab jhali aahe Krupya aamhala madat kar My son UddhavhellipI want to meet you I taught you in a school at Shivaji Park The situation here is very badhellipplease help usrdquo Randive urged the chief ministerRandive came to the old age home last year said Rajesh Moro Her husband died in 2014 ldquoMy son died when he was one year oldrdquo said Randive whom fellow inmates address as lsquoteacherrsquoSarita Moro said the children of the inmates transfer money to the old age home for their parents ldquoWe take around Rs 5000 a month from each inmatersquos relatives for their food and laundryrdquo she said adding that they have suffered damages of Rs 10 lakh Most of the inmates at the old age home have their children in posh areas of Mumbai including Vile Parle Andheri and Bandra Residents of VasaiNalasopara and Virar often provide food to the inmates A local artiste and a painter brought some relief packets on TuesdayCaretakers at New Life Foundation said they have suffered damages of Rs 10 lakh due to Cyclone Tauktae PicsHanif PatelldquoWhen the cyclone struck we felt helpless as we lost the cellular network We also could not reach here as the roads were waterloggedrdquo said Pragna Chawda a dance teacher from VirarHer friend Diya Das said they have been visiting the place since the last two years and the inmates are like their extended family membersThackeray had invited his school teachers to attend his oath taking ceremony ldquoI could not attend the function as I am suffering from severe arthritis But I do want to meet him and bless him as he is my studentrdquo said RandiveldquoChildren from influential families would come to the school Balmohan Vidyamandir In the absence of senior teachers I would often go to control the students of Std IX and Xrdquo recalled Randive1991When Randive retired from the Shivaji Park school