For 2 days, he couldn’t find his mother’s body
The Maharashtra Government has not given us alternative housing, says 18-year-old Feroz Sheikh, who lost his mother in a landslide.
MUMBAI: Eighteen-year-old Feroz Sheikh lost his mother on July 26, 2005, in a landslide that killed more than 65 people at Khadi No.3 in Sakinaka. Since then he has been living with his uncle, who stays nearby.
Most of the people affected in the landslide still do not have a roof over their heads. The government has made countless promises of providing alternative accommodation, but has done nothing so far.
Feroz, a welder, has fond memories of his mother, Jaitunisa. He had lost his father earlier to illness. Feroz and his mother were the only bread winners of the family.
Feroz was out on work when the incident occurred.
Thereafter, for two days he could not locate his mother as relief operations were on. For those two days, Feroz stayed at a nearby mosque with the hope of finding his mother alive.
However, his agonising wait came to an end when his mother’s body was finally found. Feroz now earns Rs2,500 a month with which he has to run the family. He has to take care of his 16-year-old brother.
However, he takes pride in the fact that despite earning barely enough to make ends meet, he has made arrangements for his 19-year-old sister’s marriage.
So far Feroz has been optimistic about having a home of his own. However, his optimism slowly seems to be fading in its resistance against reality.
“For the last one year the local MLA has been promising to provide us with shelter at the Tunga village, Andheri (east). Everytime he says ‘things would be done in 15 days’, but countless promises have been made before,” said Feroz.
Most of the people affected in the landslide still do not have a roof over their heads. The government has made countless promises of providing alternative accommodation, but has done nothing so far.
Feroz, a welder, has fond memories of his mother, Jaitunisa. He had lost his father earlier to illness. Feroz and his mother were the only bread winners of the family.
Feroz was out on work when the incident occurred.
Thereafter, for two days he could not locate his mother as relief operations were on. For those two days, Feroz stayed at a nearby mosque with the hope of finding his mother alive.
However, his agonising wait came to an end when his mother’s body was finally found. Feroz now earns Rs2,500 a month with which he has to run the family. He has to take care of his 16-year-old brother.
However, he takes pride in the fact that despite earning barely enough to make ends meet, he has made arrangements for his 19-year-old sister’s marriage.
So far Feroz has been optimistic about having a home of his own. However, his optimism slowly seems to be fading in its resistance against reality.
“For the last one year the local MLA has been promising to provide us with shelter at the Tunga village, Andheri (east). Everytime he says ‘things would be done in 15 days’, but countless promises have been made before,” said Feroz.