The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : The elderly are fighting for their ‘rights’ in their twilight years

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

The elderly are fighting for their ‘rights’ in their twilight years

Staff Reporter

‘I have been abandoned and do not have money to buy medicine’

BANGALORE: Gowramma, an elderly widow from a slum in Ullal Satellite Town, breaks down as she explains her living condition. “I am living separately. I have been abandoned by my children. I earn money cleaning liquor bottles,” she says showing the bruises on her hands caused due to the sharp edges of the bottles. “I do not have money to get treatment. It is difficult to pay a rent of Rs. 200 every month. Please help me live better,” she says.

Ms. Gowramma is one of those elderly women who are not eligible for the Government’s monthly pension of Rs. 400 as on paper they are being taken care of by their children. “They (children) consider us a burden on their family. Yesterday, my son beat me and asked me to sit in a corner when I asked for help,” said Channamma, another resident of the slum.

“They (children) have forgotten how we struggled in bringing them up and instead ask why we have not made property for them,” said S. Latamma, a resident of a slum in Injanapura near K.R. Puram.

These elderly citizens were on a protest march on Tuesday demanding steps for their welfare, including a raise in pension amount, bus passes at concessionary rates and title deeds for houses in which they are staying.

The protest march was organised by the Akhila Karnataka Vayovriddara Okkuta. Among the protesters were women such as scrap material collector Sharadamma, who is not aware of the norms for getting senior citizens card from the Department for Disabled and Senior Citizens Welfare.

They said the Government should reduce the age limit for considering a person as a senior citizen.

“The back-breaking work we have done has taken a toll on our bodies. We do not have the same strength now,” said Parvati, a resident of Lingarajapuram, who has lost her left hand.

They said the Government should not deny them pension on the grounds that they are living with their sons or daughters. They said steps should be taken for regular disbursal of pension. “We have not received pension for the past seven months,” Ms. Latamma said.

She said they also wanted 50 per cent concession in fare for bus passes. “It will help save some hard-earned money,” she added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka