Old age home: ‘People can’t come and drop their parents there’

To take care of the destitute and abandoned elderly citizens of Kashmir, who are often found wandering in hostile weather conditions on the streets, the government has announced opening of an old age home in Kashmir but with clear instructions that “people cannot come and drop their parents there”.

Secretarysocial welfare department Farooq Ahmad Lone on Monday announced that at Pandacharea of Ganderbal, land has been identified for building the old age home. Theproject will be executed by the Police Housing Corporation.

   

“The home won’t be available for everyone. This is speciallymeant for the elderly people who are in need of shelter and usually have nocare takers,” said Lone.

“It is not that anyone can come and drop their parents inthe home. Under the J&K Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and SeniorCitizens Act-2014 we will be monitoring the elderly care system in the state.”

The J&K Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and SeniorCitizens Act- 2014 provides for a comprehensive legal framework for the elderlycare system in the state, including establishment of old age homes and a SeniorCitizens Welfare Fund. It also provides for constitution of MaintenanceTribunal, Appellate Tribunal, State Advisory Council and conciliation officersto address the issues of senior citizens.

“We are simultaneously working on the creation of thesebodies that have to be created under the act,” said Lone.

This newspaper last yearreported about the pathetic condition in which an elderly transgender personwas found lying on a roadside near posh Gupkar area here.

Many a time these unfortunate people have landed in policestations and even hospitals in desperate need for help and care. This issueeven rocked the state Assembly on several occasions.

Deputy director social welfare Nighat Alam said, “It is inthe proposal that every district should have an old age home. First they willbe constructed and then we will recruit the staff and admit the elderly peoplein need. In the first phase we are planning to create a home at Ganderbal.”

The government is also planning to create a composite oldage home in Anantnag. About Rs 50 lakh have been released during the currentfiscal year.

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