[From L to R] Arvind Gawas IPS (retd), Bosco George IPS (retd DIG), Donald Fernandes (Street Providence), CEO GMR R V Sheshan and N J Reddy (Retd Wing Cmdr).
PANAJI
Passengers who forfeit various items at the check-in counters at Manohar International Airport (MIA) may be a disappointed lot, but they can be rest assured that their items are being utilised for a deserving cause and handed over to the poor, needy and deserving sections of society across the State.
This has been made possible following an agreement between MIA and Street Providence as the NGO for disposal of lost, found and confiscated items at the airport.
CEO GMR R V Sheshan and Street Providence representatives Donald Fernandes and Bosco George IPS (retd DIG), on Wednesday signed a contract for the project, appointing Street Providence as a sort of recovery agent to dispose all lost and found as well as confiscated items which don't get approved at the check in counters at MIA.
“Arvind Gawas, IPS (retd) is the security head of Airport Security at MIA and one day, he called up another IPS officer Bosco George (retd DIG), who is our full-time volunteer, to inquire if our NGO is keen to dispose lost and found items,” said Fernandes.
ITEMS COLLECTED
Street Providence began picking up all lost and found as well as confiscated items from MIA at their costs twice/thrice a week from December 2023.
“We hired warehouses and segregations go on weekly. We get a lot of goods like jam, masala powder, coconuts, syrups, etc. which we use for our shelter homes. We also get a lot of talcum powders, knives, scissors, nail cutters, sports items which we give away free to the poorest of the poor,” said Donald Fernandes.
“We get lighters which we sell or attempt to sell. There are also chargers, cables, power banks, perfumes, gadgets, batteries, etc. Some items are directly disposed or burnt to ashes.”
“Daily, we provide 5-6 powders to poor patients in Government hospital through our Healthcare Support Bank, which comes through this project. Every month, we give away 400-500 pieces of talcum powder to poor rag pickers, sanitary workers, etc.”
“One good thing about this contract is we are also entitled to sell all the items and use the proceeds for homeless people who we rehabilitate”, he added.
CHALLENGES
Fernandes admitted that while this offer sounds and looks very lucrative, there are a number of challenges in the operations.
“There is a lot of hard work of picking up the items at short notice with our own transport and labour. Segregating is the biggest hurdle as all items are mixed up. Storage is another cost which one needs to bear,” said Fernandes.
SATISFACTION
Despite the challenges, Fernandes is satisfied that these lost, found and confiscated items at MIA are being utilised for a noble cause.
“We feel happy that 70% of these items in the last 4 months have been going to the poorest of the poor free of cost even though we can sell it and make a few extra bucks. Only the lighters we sell at discounted rate in bulk to recover our pick up and other costs,” said Fernandes.
“We are in the process of opening 4 new shelter homes between May and July. As such, resources and running such homes always to be planned well in advance especially the funding. Through this contract with MIA, a lot of small daily needs of our homes are being met with the grace of God”, he said.
