Punjabi families don’t look after their elders nor does the Punjab government, HelpAge India study
As per findings of a HelpAge India study released on Monday, Punjabi families don’t look after their elders nor does the Punjab government.
The study was conducted in eight districts of Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which were selected due to a large number of cases filed under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, a pioneering law meant for the welfare of the elderly.
“We wanted to get a 360-degree view on this law, it's working at the ground level, and understand how it was being implemented in the states,” said Mathew Cherian, a chief executive officer of HelpAge India.
The study found Punjab had the highest number of petitioners in the age group of 80-plus compared to only 9% in Haryana, while half of the elderly surveyed reported experiencing abuse.
Almost 57% of the elderly attributed the reason for filing the petition to neglect by children (in Punjab, Haryana and Kerala), while 36% said they were propelled by physical abuse and mental torture (in Kerala and Tamil Nadu).
HelpAge has two homes in Patiala and Gurdaspur with 37 residents, who are housed free of cost.
RK Garg, a Chandigarh-based RTI activist who has started Second Innings, a platform for senior citizens, says the government must set up special courts to do justice in such cases.
“I know of a senior citizen who can’t muster the guts to approach the DC. There should be a helpline for such people. The executive powers given to the DC should be streamlined and coordinated with courts. The DC, the social welfare department and police stations should work in tandem.”
