Senior citizens petition social welfare minister

MARGAO: A delegation of Senior Citizens Forum of India met social welfare minister Sudin Dhavlikar on Tuesday and demanded that procedures to formulate rules under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 be expedited. The failure of the government to provide shelter to Vincent Fakir Chandra, 69, a victim of abuse, was also raised with the minister.
The forum, in a representation, also demanded that laws providing for effective care and protection of senior citizens be enforced forthwith and measures be adopted to enable senior citizens to get speedy and inexpensive legal maintenance.
While efforts are on to admit the ailing Chandra into the old age home run by Poverdoria at Margao, the forum has expressed its displeasure over the manner in which cases of distressed elders are handled by the state. "In the absence of any shelter for abused and distressed elders, we are forced to send Vincent (with his consent) to the old age home run by Provedoria at Margao. However, we need to furnish documents like residence certificate, income certificate and health certificate. For several days we have been running from the talathi to the mamlatdar who are dragging their feet to issue the required documents," forum president Eknath Naik told TOI on Wednesday.
Even as forum members opine that such formalities should be done away with in cases of elders in distress, the social welfare officer, Institute of Public Assistance (Provedoria), Vishwas K Nayak, said that such documents are required to be furnished as per rules of the department. "Sad but true, non-Goans, especially migrants, queue up at such homes to avail benefits which are free of cost. Therefore, it is mandatory to furnish the required documents as proof. Secondly, the health certificate, to certify the mental health of the candidate, is aimed at ensuring the welfare of existing inmates," Nayak told TOI.
Ironically, despite the formation of a state policy and plan of action for the elderly people in the state way back in 2001, and two years after the of enforcement of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 by the Centre, both promising social security to this vulnerable section of the population, the government has failed to put in place a mechanism to look after senior citizens in the state. The delay in drafting rules pertaining to both the policy and the act has nevertheless added to the woes of distressed elderly in the state.
"At present the only provision in the law is Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) under which a senior citizen can approach the court to seek maintenance which includes provision of food, clothing, residence, medical attendance and treatment," said a legal expert.