Committee to address issues of senior citizens mooted

 Human Rights activist Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag cited at least a dozen incidents of elderly persons being not only neglected but also thrown out of their homes by their sons and daughters.

He was speaking at a workshop organised to create awareness on the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 at the deputy commissioner’s office here on Tuesday.

Right from sons and daughters cheating their parents for property to refusal to pay even peanuts for parents’ medicines, Dr Shanbhag cited several incidents using video footages of elderly persons narrating their tales from the death bed and hospitals.

Stating that he too learnt about the intricacies of the Act only after extending a helping hand to a senior citizen, Savitriamma (86) from Udupi, he regretted that even the top officials and assistant commissioners (who are supposed to provide justice to senior citizens as per law) are unaware of the Act.

How to help

He explained how the officials concerned, especially the assistant commissioners, can help senior citizens in distress. “Right from returning property illegally occupied by kin or others after forcibly taking the signatures of elderly to changing the khatas in their names, everything can be done in a day or two, and it all depends on the assistant commissioners,” he added.

Stating that he received 290 calls related to cases soon after he solved one case in Udupi, Dr Shanbhag also complimented a few ACs, including Anand (Tumakuru) and Yogeshwar (Udupi), who took bold steps to help the elderly in distress and thereby provide justice.

On the other hand, he regretted that there are many cases of senior citizens waiting for justice even after the court ruled in their favour. Referring to Girijamma, a resident of Adyar on the outskirts of Mangaluru, (who was present in the hall), he said that Girijamma had earned more than Rs 2 lakh over the years just by selling bangles. “A truck driver, who befriended her and promised to look after her, however, took all her savings and later dumped her. Although Girijamma filed a case and won it, the driver refused to return the money,” Dr Shanbhag said and appealed to the Additional Deputy Commissioner and Puttur AC Dr Rajendra to help solve the case.

Padmanabha Ullal, one of the participants, suggested that senior citizens’ associations could extend a helping hand in such situations.

‘Not easy’

On other hand, Nanda Pais, a social worker, said that although there are a number of women in distress in and around Mangaluru and Mulki, it is not very easy to provide them rehabilitation as many homes for the aged hardly open their doors for women in distress and without a handsome amount as fee.

When a few participants suggested that a committee, comprising women and child welfare officials, police, revenue officials and senior citizens, may be formed to look into such issues, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumar said that he would take steps in this regard.

Vishwas Trust Founder Dr Olinda Pereira, Senior Citizens Helpline Coordinator Lidwyn D’Souza and Women & Child Welfare Deputy Director Sundar Poojary were present.