Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26: An elderly couple of Khantapara of Balasore district have approached the family court and the district administration seeking maintenance.

The couple have children, but they do not stay with them.

Manibhadra Panda, 95, and his wife Ahalya Panda, 86, have filed a petition seeking maintenance under Section 125 of CrPC. Residents of Bishnupur village in Khantapara police station limits, the two of them have almost become visually impaired.

Manibhadra was a cook in Bengal and maintained a big family with his meagre income. The couple have two sons and five daughters and all of them are married. But the children do not apparently take care of the aging parents.

Panda and his wife live in their ancestral house while their sons have moved to new houses with their families.

While their elder son runs a cloth shop, the younger son is the head master of a school.

The couple lives on old age pension.

The district collector has asked the sub-collector and the district education officer to take suitable steps to address the problems of the elderly couple.

"We have a senior citizen protection cell and the sub-collector is the nodal officer. I asked him to explore the options to see what can be done," said district collector Pramod Das.

The district legal aid cell and several other individuals and organisations have come forward to help the couple.

Social activist Sahirul Haque said: "I have assured them to provide ration every month. I can do that much at least."

Amar Ballav Nanda, a senior advocate, has also offered to fight their case in court free of cost.