Mangaluru, Aug 20, 2015: A co-ordination meeting on senior citizen helpline was convened by Superintendent of Police S D Sharanappa.
At the meeting, it was resolved to conduct awareness campaigns on senior citizen’s helpline, senior citizens associations and other organisations. However, many concerned who were present unanimously expressed that the Central and State Govts, must have full fledged departments to look into all facets of Elder citizens problems. When Education, health, women, children and so on are assisted by Govt departments why are a large and prominent elders ignored without a basic authority to address their genuine grievances which are many.
At least 455 cases came recently at senior citizen’s helpline. In the wake of complaints regarding harassment of senior citizens in government and private buses, it was decided that training in soft skills would be given to drivers and conductors. A helpline centre official said that World Senior Citizen’s Day will be held on October 1.
Celebrations are not the criterion it is felt. The meeting which was held together with traffic issues is inadequate and an open meet for probing elders issues is essential.
The helpline 1090 has been operational since 10 years. A total of 2015 calls have been received at the call centre during the year 2014-15 and the details of the calls are as follows:
For information - 1,077, complaints - 294, harassment by family members - 112, harassment by government and private organisations: 73, harassment by outsiders - 92, missing - 16, information of old age homes - 29, family service - 158, medical service - 111, referral services - 39, through police department - 49, through court - 10, through the tribunal - 10 and through mediation - 92. Yet, no action has been taken over the years to have a watchdog committee to examine the crimes against elders in home and institutions.
Additional SP Vincent Shanthakumar, Wenlock district hospital RMO Dr Irappa, Vishwas Trust president Olinda Periera, Celine Aranha, Lidwin Lobo, Vidya Dinkar, Women’s Police Station Sub Inspector Kalavathi K and district handicapped welfare officer Chandrika Nayak were present among others.