Berhampur: Police on Friday gave identity cards to 516 senior citizens at a programme in the Town Hall. It had earlier distributed such cards to 224 senior citizens in two phases.
"With these I-cards, the senior citizens will be able to get quick police help and extra attention from the local police station. Berhampur Police will give I-cards to all the senior citizens in phases and take care of them," said superintendent of police Pinak Mishra.
"Goons are taking advantage of the lack of security of senior citizens even at home. The security of senior citizens is the duty of the police and we will do our best," he said.
Four police stations - Town police station, BNPur police station, Bada Bazar police station and Gosaninuagaon police station - have senior citizen security cells headed by a nodal officer.
"We are going to include Sadar police station in the list shortly and special focus would be on the safety and security of senior citizens. Steps are being made to make these senior citizen security cells more active and dynamic," Mishra said.
DIG of police (south and southwestern range) Ashis Singh, who distributed the I-cards, said: "We are forgetting Indian social traditions in the Internet age. Children have the time to spend on social media but do not take interest in spending a few hours with their old parents. The I-card concept will help the senior citizens, who are staying alone, contact their local police stations every fortnight for close co-ordination with the police."
"Steps must be taken to appoint three to four cops exclusively for the senior citizen security cells to facilitate senior citizens at their respective police stations. The staff crunch in the police stations has affected the service to senior citizens," said president of Ganjam District Biju Patnaik Senior Citiznes' Forum Ras Behari Das.
Earlier, a group of senior citizens had interacted with the director-general of police during his visit to Berhampur over the issue. The police officer had assured them that the some ex-servicemen would be appointed to provide better and quality service.
"The police must come to the door steps of senior citizens at regular intervals," Ras Behari Das said.
Another senior citizen, Krushna Chandra Panda, requested the police to carry out frequent patrolling.
