MARGAO
This female home guard, who rendered help and assistance to thousands of pedestrians cross the road at the zebra crossing near the Margao Municipal Garden in her career spanning 34 years is feeling helpless.
The small house where Vimal Shirodkar has stayed over the years after her retirement as a home guard came crashing down late Saturday night, leaving her homeless and without shelter.
The disaster management team inspected the house and conducted a panchanama of her damaged residence to assess the loss and to provide relief. Seeing her plight, concerned citizens have volunteered to help and bail out Vimal by initiating a fund-raising drive in a bid to rebuild her house and her life.
In fact, even before Vimal could seek help and assistance to repair her house, concerned citizens of Sirvodem-Margao all teamed up to mobilise funds to rebuild her house.
South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes along with Congress leader Savio Coutinho on Monday called on Vimal and extended all possible assistance to the retired home guard. “She cared and looked after the people to cross the road at the busy Margao Municipal Garden all these years. She did her job diligently and with a lot of passion and dedication. As citizens, it is now our duty to come to her aid during the unexpected crises she is going through,” Captain said.
Coutinho stated Vimal put in 34 years of service, toiling in the hot sun, as she monitored the smooth flow of traffic, and at the same time the safety of the pedestrians. “After she retired, she hardly got any credible benefits for the sincere and long service as a home guard. Neither she had any stars on her shoulders, nor any official powers vested in her position. Yet she exhibited command as she performed her duties without showing any bias, whether you were influential or a common man," Coutinho said.
Vimal said her well-wishers, including shopkeepers, have been taking care of her to meet her needs. “I have never asked anyone for help, but people have been generous to help me out,” she said. She added: “I felt happy that the MP, whom I had never met, called to inquire about me.”
Pending the sanctioning of assistance by the government, concerned citizens have decided to help Vimal in repairing her house as soon as possible. Coutinho shared the account details of Vimal, and appealed to the public to contribute to the cause: H.No. 67, Shirvodem, Margao Goa; SB Account No. 11860100145352; Bank: The Federal Bank Ltd; Branch: Margao, Mabai Building; IFSC Code: FDRL0001186; MICR Code: 403049003.
