Udupi: The Udupi district administration has taken a much-needed decision in favour of the senior citizens and issued clear instructions in the matter of enforcement of the orders of the district administration relating to the senior citizens within a week of issue of the orders.
The order comes in wake of experiences of senior citizens who are made to run from pillar to post for years to get their rights and when the decision of the court or the decision making bodies come in their favour, there is an inordinate delay in implementation.
Florine Castelino case
Senior Citizen, Florine Castelino, aged 74, owned ancestral property of about 3.45 acres in the village Kirkalu in Udupi District. Of her four sons, two are employed in the Gulf and the remaining two stayed with and looked after the old mother.
She made a will way back in 2011 and wished to distribute the ancestral property equally amongst all the four sons. But her eldest son, who had come from the Gulf on vacation, misled her and took her to Sub Registrar’s office and got the entire property registered in his name. The senior citizen came to know about this scheme of the eldest son only when she received notice for transfer of Khata from the Village Panchayath. She then complained to the Senior Citizens Maintenance Administration to get justice.
The enquiry of this case was completed in May 2018 and orders were issued immediately for cancellation of the aforesaid registration for grabbing land by the Eldest son. The Assistant Commissioner issued orders for re-registration of the land usurped by the Eldest son in the name of Florine Castelino. Nothing happened for about 110 days after the issue of the orders.
Rajeevi Shedthi’s struggle
In a similar case involving another senior citizen, Rajeevi Shedthi from Kenjoor village in Udupi Taluk, too complained to the authorities, about the injustice meted out to her by her eldest son. This eldest son was given a part of the ancestral land to the tune of over 1.17 acres and the ancestral residence for taking care of the parents. Within a short time of about three months this son and his wife started ill treating the parents and even subjected them to physical assault.
Exasperated by their behavior, both the senior citizens moved out of the regular residence and engaged a rental accommodation. The district administration issued orders in May 2018 for annulment of the earlier registration in the name of the son and restoration of the property back to the parents after making suitable changes in the registration records at the office of the Sub-registrar.
In both the above cases matter was taken up for enforcement of the orders of the Assistant Commissioner with the sub-Registrar. For over three months there was no progress in the matter.
On 18th September, 2018 a meeting was organized in the office of the Deputy commissioner Udupi for speedy resolution of the issues involving the Senior citizens. Just before attending this meeting, the Sub Registrar had enforced the orders of the Assistant Commissioner and made fresh registrations in favour of the Senior citizens in both the aforesaid cases. The Sub-Registrar, the Muncipal and Panchayath Authorities too were directed by the District Administration to take all steps necessary to give the property rights to the Senior Citizens and change the Khata in favour of the Senior citizens within two working days.
The Senior Citizens who were roaming from one office to another for implementation of the orders of the Assistant Commissioner for cancellation of the earlier registrations and registrations in favour of senior citizens now need to only approach Sri Niranjan Bhat of the Department of Women and Child Welfare at the District Office for this purpose.
By this one novel step, the district administration, Udupi has rendered yeomen service to the cause of senior citizens.
