Despite govt order, abandoned parents are still in limbo

Kuttipuram: “I have two sons. They haven’t turned up yet”, says Muhammad, who ended up in the Thavanur old age home on the night of Eid al-Fitr last year. His children are well off living with their families; however they don’t want their father back.

Same is the case of Suganan, another inmate here.  Suganan, however, minced words from disclosing more about his family, because he doesn’t want to slander his children and their family.

They make up some of the inmates at Thavanur Old Age home who have been abandoned albeit having family.   The Social Justice Department has issued an order five months before seeking to take against action against those abandon their parents.

However, it doesn’t make any different to the situation of many inmates here.  As per the order, those who abandon their parents would be slapped with jail term and fine.  Officials here inform inmates’ family of the new order, but they shrug away saying that parents are a sort of liability.

The centre’s superintendent took it up on himself sending home four inmates to their family.   In one case, officials called in the government employee to entrust his mother. He had abandoned her after taking her on the pretext of a ride to the park and abandoned at the centre here.  Officials have decided to no more take in any inmate with a family. Also, actions would be taken against erring sons.

There are 516 old age home receiving government grant.  Sixteen centres are under the direct government control. In total, as many as 25,000 inmates live in these centres; a half of them has either children or close relatives.