Mumbai:
Following MiD DAY's report on the plight of the orphan, Sandeep Kamble, who was denied a passport as he couldn't produce a birth certificate, offers of help have been pouring in for the second-year computer engineering student from various agencies eager to sort the issue.
After reading MiD DAY's report ("Denied passport for being an orphan', June 23) that the 1990-born was asked by passport officials to submit a birth certificate to get the passport, Thane Municipal Commissioner RA Rajiv showed an interest in helping Kamble attain a birth certificate from Mumbai.
An advocate called him to elaborate the procedure of acquiring one. Incidentally, he also got a call from a former railway official who showed an interest in adopting him.
Rajiv said, "On my initiative, he was contacted by Assistant Municipal Commissioner Ramesh Pawar and was directed to meet the medical officer of K East ward. If he hasn't got the certificate yet, I'll make sure he gets it."
A retired security commissioner, who has served with the Kalyan RPF in the past, and now resides in Uttar Pradesh, went the extra mile to help Kamble.
He called up Father Noel Pinto, head of the orphanage, Snehasadan, where Kamble was brought up, and asked if the orphan was ready to be adopted. The security official did not wish to be named.
Pinto said, "Since MiD DAY published the article on Kamble, he and I have received several calls offering to help him, including those from BMC officials and advocates. The family of a former railway commissioner who has served in the city called us from Uttar Pradesh asking if they could adopt Kamble."
Kamble said, "I got a call from an advocate as well as a BMC health officer from Andheri (East). They both told me the procedure to get a birth certificate. I even got a call from someone in Jaipur who said he could help me and asked for my documents. The man claimed that he would take up this issue with Rahul Gandhi. Another person who called me was a retired security commissioner of RPF, Kalyan. He showed an interest in adopting me but I refused. I want to do this on my own."
Kamble expressed concern over the situation that many like him might be facing.
"I know my birthplace is Challisgaon village, but what about those who do not even know that? How can they harbour hopes for a better future if they come across the obstacles I did? This is not a small issue."
He added, "I have spoken to Childline NGO about the issue. They have promised to take it up with the government and come up with a solution for people like me."