the goan I network
MARGAO
n Eighty-four-year-old A Fernandes is locked in a legal battle with son and daughter-in-law over maintenance, harassment and torture. Though the Tribunal has awarded maintenance allowance of Rs 2,000, the senior citizen is yet to receive the allowance.
n This husband-wife duo, aged 75 years and 72 years respectively has been abused and assaulted by son, daughter-in-law. Even their daughters were not permitted to bring food for them. Reason: Sons wanted to give the house to the builders in exchange for six flats.
n The more recent case of a Vasco-based 89-year-old lady senior citizen who was mercilessly beaten up by her daughter-in-law on petty issues last year. The elderly lady is presently convalescing at the Cottage hospital, Chicalim after she was beaten up again late March last.
These three incidents of assault, torture and harassment meted out to the elderly in the State is just the tip of the iceberg, with the Federation of All Goa Senior Citizens expressing concern over the rising cases of harassment against the elderly in the State and questioning the efficacy of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 in ensuring the protection and maintenance of the senior citizens.
Federation President Diogo M Da Costa told the media on Tuesday that the situation is not rosy as it appears for the large number of senior citizens, saying the elderly suffer at the hands of their children and daughter-in-laws. “Cases of harassment have been on the rise in the State in recent times. We now receive 3-4 four cases every week. This is an alarming figure which needs to be addressed by the society at large,” he said.
Elaborating on the Vasco case, where a 89-year-old lady senior citizen was admitted in the Cottage hospital with multiple injuries, Diogo lamented that the Goa police has not been pro-active in attending to the grievances of senior citizens. “The men-in-uniform has been found wanting in addressing the grievances of senior citizens. Even maintenance awards have remained on paper for want of police assistance,” he rued.
Diogo questioned the efficacy of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 as it has not served the objective in the State of Goa. “The Act is in need of a review. It has not been successfully implemented in Goa. We had taken up the issue with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to bring changes to the Rules, but in vain,” he regretted.
The Federation chief recalled the Judgement of the Delhi High Court which clearly stated that the children have no right to stay in the house of their parents if they continue to torture and harass the senior citizens. “Our information suggests that 80 per cent of the senior citizens are dependent for maintenance and need protection. Only the balance 20 per cent are independent,” he said.
Categorising the abuses suffered by the senior citizens to physical, verbal and economic abuse, Diogo said that 48 per cent of senior citizens suffer from physical abuse comprising of beating, assaults, starvation etc, saying that instances are galore when children forcibly take the pension money of the senior citizens and even refuse them money for basic needs.
