A home and society in which senior citizens can live happily are better for everyone. Ensuring that older people are treated with respect and receive the support and facilities they need without delay is a collective responsibility, said Shubha, Senior Civil Judge and Member Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority.
She was speaking at a workshop at Gandhi Bhavan for district-level officials and staff on the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. The programme was organised jointly by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Department of Women and Child Development, the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, the district administration, the Zilla Panchayat and voluntary organisations working for senior citizens.
Referring to the traditional teaching that one should revere one’s mother, father and teacher, Shubha urged officials to ensure that senior citizens obtain their property rights and maintenance support promptly. She said officials must discharge these responsibilities even while managing their other duties, and that older people should not be made to wait unnecessarily to secure their legal entitlements.
She also observed that younger generations could not be guided by lectures alone. Their outlook needed to be understood, and communication adapted accordingly. Young people, she said, should recognise the value of older people’s experience and the lessons they can offer.
Umesh Kumar, Circle Police Inspector of the Madikeri Women’s Police Station, said the police monitor the safety of senior citizens through a beat-patrol system. Senior citizens, women and children who face difficulties can seek police assistance. He said the system operates in Kodagu and that personnel take necessary steps to protect vulnerable people. The helplines mentioned at the workshop were 1090 and 109, while 112 can be called in an emergency. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kumar stressed that protecting senior citizens was not solely the police department’s responsibility. All government departments should respond to their concerns and work together to resolve their problems.
Advocate Meena Kumari spoke about the legal and social responsibilities involved in implementing the Act. She explained that maintenance involves more than providing food: it also includes essential clothing, safe accommodation, medical care and appropriate treatment. She stressed the importance of legal awareness in ensuring that senior citizens can live with dignity and security.
Discussing case studies, Advocate Manoj Bopaiah said changing lifestyles could weaken interpersonal relationships and human values. He urged officials to be patient when senior citizens and women approached them with grievances, and emphasised that officials should be familiar with the legal provisions intended to protect them. He also discussed important cases reported in the district.
Sumangala G. Hiremani, Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development, presided over the programme. District officials and staff from various departments attended. Senior citizen Sunanda offered a prayer. K.G. Vimala, an officer of the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, welcomed the gathering, while Information Consultant Naveen compered the event and proposed the vote of thanks.
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