Chhatia: An awareness and legal literacy meeting was organized on Sunday at Sevak Old Age Home in Solar Paikarapur by the Chandikhole Court Taluk Legal Services Centre on the occasion of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
The meeting was presided over by Biswadeepak Sahu, Chairman of the Taluk Centre and Sub-Judge. Other dignitaries present included JMFC Shreemayi Nanda, President of Chandikhole Court Bar Association Suresh Chandra Panda, Secretary Prakash Kumar Dash, former president Debaraj Behera, lawyers Parmananda Sahu and Amulya Mohan Tripathy, President of Sevak Old Age Home Suresh Chandra Biswal, Secretary Nityananda Pradhan, and Mandaradhar Swain, among others. They expressed concern that in many families, elders are often neglected and mistreated.
During the awareness session, the speakers highlighted that senior citizens are often subjected to abuse despite having spent their entire lives earning wealth and supporting their families through hard work, effort, and dedication. Unfortunately, during old age, many do not receive love, care, or support from their sons, daughters, or other family members. Instead of being cared for, they face mental and physical abuse and are deprived of their own earned wealth and property. For many of them, old age homes remain their only hope in their later years.
Speakers emphasized the need for family members to become more aware and responsible. In cases of family disputes or elder neglect, they urged that help can be sought from the Taluk Legal Services Centre.
Other contributors to the event included Prabhanjan Mahapatra, Ramakant Raut, Bharat Behera, Lakshmidhar Nayak, and Sasmita Bala. The vote of thanks was delivered by Retainer Jyoti Shankar Mahapatra.