Himanshu Upadhyay
The one who wants to offer self and service for the betterment and welfare of the society never sees to whom it goes and to whom he is doing. Showing one of the best instances of this, Harshad Vora, Additional District Collector, Ahmedabad District, promptly responded to a social media tweet in providing shelter to a destitute senior citizen in no-time.
The story unfolded like this that on May 18th through a social media tweet, Vora received a piece of information that one destitute, handicapped, senior citizen is suffering in a very hapless condition. The victim was forced to confine into the dirty place because of his inability to make physical movement. A neighbouring local resident made a tweet seeking help for the senior citizen. Responding to this, the official sought the location of the victim for providing help to him.
When, the location of the victim was flashed before Vora that he is laying in very poor and unhygienic condition under the bridge, near Sarkhej Ujala Circle, his name is Bharatbhai Shankalchand Rawal, aged 72. The Additional Collector immediately ordered to an officer of the District Social Security (DSS) service to rush to the spot along with a helping team.
On arrival at the spot, when the team reported the condition of Rawal to the official, he taking a prompt decision guided the team to take the victim to the District Shelter House at Odhav. Presently Rawal is being taken good care at the district shelter house.
The additional collector Vora told this correspondent that of course we are taking advantage of social media in availing the information about day-to-day happenings in the society and responding to them in the cases whenever we can and require; as we did in this case. Our assistance and responses are always receiving positive response in such cases.
“The prompt help offered to Rawal was not any obligation on him, but, it was our social duty and responsibility as well as a symbol of our sensitivity,” the officer stated with a sparkle in eyes generated from a satisfaction of done something “Good” for the society.
(The writer is a senior official in the Information and Broadcasting Department of Government of Gujarat. Stationed at Ahmedabad office)