Pic: Harshini Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Mar 8: A senior member of a respected family has been looking for free food provided in temples, Bhoota Kola, car festival etc for his survival. Srinivas Tunga (72) from Sastan in the district has been moving between the offices of the assistant commissioner, deputy commissioner and senior citizens tribunal for the last 29 months. His pathetic story was revealed by chairman of Human Rights Protection Foundation, Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, addressing a press meet on Monday March 7.
Tunga is from Airody, Sastan. He has two sons and a daughter. Two among them are engineers and the other is in a private profession and they earn very well. Still the children have kept their father at bay and even after approaching the senior citizens tribunal, the old man did not get justice, Shanbhag stated.
Tunga had approached senior citizens helpline at Udupi in 2019 and sought help to see that his wife and children allow him to join them. When the children refused, he sought direction to pay him a monthly allowance. He said that even though the helpline centre tried, the family was not willing to meet this demand.
In 2019, Tunga had applied to the assistant commissioner Kundapur, who happens to be the chairman of the senior citizens tribunal. The tribunal has been hearing the case for the last 29 months and the children have been evading personal appearance, he stated. Shanbhag pointed out that as per the Senior Citizens Protection Act section 5 (4), such cases have to be heard and orders should be passed within three months of the notice. He wondered what one can expect from a judicial system that has not been able to ensure the presence of the accused for the hearing, leave alone passing of orders.
Tunga had written to the principal secretary in the department of empowerment of senior citizens in 2021, but there was no response. Therefore, Shanbhag said that his foundation has decided to file public interest litigation relating to the case.