Pune: Children not looking after parents will be driven out of parents’ house by District Collector

Pune: The District Administration will now punish children who do not look after their parents. The District Collector will drive such children out of their homes. If needed, their salaries will also be attached. Justice will be done to senior citizens. The District Collector will provide them relief under legal provisions.

Senior citizens face a dilemma when they are thrown out of their own homes by their children. Though they legally own the house, they do not know whether to approach the court. The District Collector helps such elderly people under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.

Giving details about the Act, Resident District Collector Jyoti Kadam said, “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 protects the rights of senior citizens and fulfills their needs. Aggrieved senior citizens can apply to the District Collector if their children harass them or throw them out of their home and do not support them. Help is provided in such a situation. Such senior citizens can get alimony or if the house is legally owned by the elderly couple, their children can be driven out of the house.

“Such cases are increasing in Pune and 20-25 such incidents happen every month. Aggrieved senior citizens only need to submit an application and action is immediately taken. Usually, a man tells his parents to leave home on the insistence of his wife. But children cannot ask their parents to leave their house if it is legally owned by their parents.

“We have provided relief to 42 senior citizens under the Act. Such cases are not common in rural areas but they have increased in cities.”

A senior citizen, who received help from the District Collectorate, said, “I have two daughters and own a house. They threw me out of my house. My leg was fractured in an accident and I got some money for treatment, which my daughters took away from me. I do not have money and cannot go to court. But I came to know about the provision of the Act. I met Resident Deputy Collector Jyoti Kadam and submitted an application. Hearing is being conducted on my application.”