# MV Bureau
Mumbai | The success of the ‘Before the Onset of Rain’ in the Navi Mumbai region has seen SEAL Ashram of Panvel launch the programme to save the lives of the destitute people on the streets in the Thane-Kalyan region. The project plans to rescue around 120 destitute people in the area spreading from Thane to Kalyan.
Minority Commission former vice-chairman Abraham Mathai, Thane Joint Commissioner of Police Dr Gyaneshwar Chavan, Thane Additional Commissioner of Police Sanjay Jadhav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shivraj Patil and Assistant Commissioner of Police Inderjeet Karle jointly launched the drive to rescue the destitute in Thane-Kalyan.
The Thane-Kalyan Mumbai is all geared up for a meticulously planned programme much before the rains as those on the streets are easily vulnerable during this season, and there could even be fatal cases as their physical condition would worsen.
The Thane police have offered full-time assistance for the project. Under the banner of 'Before the Onset of Rain', volunteers of SEAL and social and cultural activists in Mumbai joined hands to launch a rescue mission called 'Reskunet 2024'.
The inauguration took place at the Thane Police Commissioner's office on Monday. The rescue efforts were flagged off by Dr Gyaneshwar Chavan and Abraham Mathai.
Police added that they would be an active participant in the initiative, running from June 10 to 20. Destitutes who cannot themselves even take the food given to them are rescued from the streets, rehabilitated and eventually reunited with their families. However, beggars and anti-socials living on the streets are out of the project ambit.
Laiji Varghese, who coordinates the project, said samajs and cultural collectives in Mumbai would be involved in the area-wise investigation, rescue and rehabilitation efforts. More than 70 people were rescued in Navi Mumbai and paperwork was on to bring more than a dozen people back to their families, he added.
Laiji said so far 520 people had been brought back to their homes and the idea of 'Before the Onset of Rain' came about because they often had to watch destitutes walk to death during the rains.
SEAL Pastor KM Philip said the activities had been coordinated in such a way that destitutes were brought to the SEAL Ashram, taken care of and then made to go back to their relatives after getting proper treatment.
Sasikumar Nair of the All Thane Malayalee Association, Kalva Malayalee Samajam representative Premachandran, Vrindavan Malayalee Samajam's Sanjeev P, Wagle Estate Malayalee Association's Prameela Surendran, social activists Srikanth Nair and Sasi Damodaran and cartoonist James Manalodi attended the inaugural session. On the first day, three destitutes were rescued by noon in the Thane-Kalyan region.
The following volunteers of 'Before the Rain Arrives' can be contacted:
Pastor Biju 9321253899
Jainamma 8108688029
Laiji Varghese 9820075404
