SENIOR CITIZENS NEED TO BE MORE SELF RELIANT

Senior citizens must not be complacent about their own security, said Brig. Keshav Chandra, President of Chandigarh Senior Citizens’ Association while addressing a large gathering at the Govt Museum & Art Gallery this morning.
Condoling the death of 75 years old Smt Gurbal Maninder Mann, he said the fact that, according to the morning news, she had died a natural death must have brought some solace to the family but the earlier reports of an unnatural death had lessons for all of us. If the earlier reports were to be believed ANYONE living similarly could become an easy prey to lawless elements.
He rued the apathy of older persons in the matter of taking even the low cost precautions frequently propagated by the local police and reiterated by the Association. These include a magic eye at the doors, a safety chain and an easy-reach bell connection to the neighbour at a total cost of just a few hundred rupees. He also advised members to have a system of daily telephonic conversation with friends and relatives so that their welfare is constantly monitored. It is a pity, he said, that facilities offered by the Police, namely, servant and tenant verification, visits by beat constables to senior citizens and Senior Citizens Help Line were pitifully under-utilised. He hoped that senior citizens would take adequate precautions at the earliest.