How Indian Government Ignores the Senior Citizens
To mark the ‘International Day of Older Persons’ on 2nd October, more than 5000 participants gathered at India Gate to spread the message of caring and giving respect to older persons and senior citizens.
Thaawarchand Gehlot Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment along with the Minister of State Krishan Pal Gurjar, took the pledge to serve the senior citizens with other dignitaries and 5000 participants.
However, in reality the Indian ministers ignore the interests of senior citizens. In the month of April when a group of seniors citizens from Dwarka wanted to meet Thaawarchand Gehlot, he refused to meet them.
These seniors citizens are suffering from extreme dust and noise pollution from FAR (floor area ratio)-based extended construction activity – which is still continuing – in Dwarka’s group housing societies. But despite repeated requests, they could not meet Gehlot.
But in his today’s address, Gehlot strangely said that his government is committed to the welfare of older persons.
[ Poisonous Particles + Noise Nuisance = Death for Delhi ]
Although the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 – initiated by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India – is supposed to provide “simple, speedy and inexpensive mechanism for the protection of life and property of the older persons,” it is a completely ineffective piece of legislation.
The senior citizens say they have been running from pillar to post to get extended construction and pollution stopped in group housing societies, but the authorities have refused to listen to them.
As FAR construction in housing societies will happen in different parts of Delhi, nearly 5 million senior citizens are virtually facing a painful death. And there is no government existing in Delhi that cares for these harmed senior citizens.
All their requests to the Delhi Government and the Government of India to save them from harmful dust and noise pollution have been falling on deaf ears.
Photo courtesy: Press Information Bureau
