The Federation of Senior Citizens’ Association of Odisha observed the World Elders Abuse Awareness Day here on Sunday under the chairmanship of its president Krupasinghu Sahoo.
Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Minister Ashok Chandra Panda and MLAs Ananta Narayan Jena and Sushant Kumar Rout attended as guests and said that abusing elders is most heinous crime in the society. The speakers unanimously supported stringent action for the perpetrators of abuse against senior citizens, including jail term and fine.
Sahoo said, “We are trying to bring together senior citizens, their caregivers, civil society organisations and the Government to combat the problems of elder abuse and their support would help to build a happy society.”
The programme attended by more than 500 senior citizens was coordinated by association working president Dr Krupasindhu Panda, Shiv Charan Behera, Basant Kumar Mishra, Trinath Patnaik and Arun Kumar Mohanty.