BANDIPORA: A one-day Legal Awareness programme on Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 (MWPSC Act 2007) for Judicial Functionaries to promote "Inter-Generational Bonding and Ageing with Dignity" was Wednesday held at Dak Bunglow Sumbal, Bandipora.

The programme was organized by National Institute of Social Defense, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India and Anugraha Regional Resource Training Center on Ageing, Delhi (RRTC Anugraha) in collaboration with J&K Legal Services Authority and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Bandipora.

The programme was conducted in presence of Chairperson, DLSA (Pr. District & Session Judge) Bandipora, Amit Sharma and supervision of Secretary, DLSA Bandipora, Nusrat Ali Hakak.

The programme was inaugurated by Amit Sharma, Chairperson DLSA (Pr. District & Session Judge) Bandipora, along with Secretary, DLSA.

Chairman, TLSC (Munsiff) Sumbal, Bazila Bashir; SDM Sumbal, Bashir Ahmad Lone; SDPO Sumbal, Tehsildar Sumbal, SHO Sumbal, President Bar Association, Sumbal along with Bar Members and other Officers were also present on the occasion.

Chief Guest, Amit Sharma (Pr. District & Sessions Judge) Bandipora delivered the inaugural address and said that the key objective of this program is to create awareness and sensitivity about various issues of senior citizens.

He said that senior citizens are increasingly facing a variety of hardships in day to day life with respect to their basic life requirements including food, shelter, clothes, health problems, financial problems etc., mostly due to negligence and ill treatment of their children.

He advised the Judicial Officers, Advocates and PLVs to address the basic issues of elderly population including parents and senior citizens along with remedial measures within the mandate of this Act.

Earlier, Secretary DLSA delivered a welcome address and highlighted the importance of the programme. She said that the programme is aimed to create awareness about various issues of senior citizens and to promote Intergenerational bonding and ageing with dignity.

She also made the gathering aware about the rights and facilities that are available to the Parents & Senior Citizens under this Act. She said such programmes would definitely change our perception of how we all deal with this important section of our society.

The programme was divided into four sessions. In the first session Adv. Aabid Hussain Malla acted as resource person and delivered a lecture on Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens.

In the second session, Adv. Nazia Parveen acted as resource person and highlighted the General Rights of Parents and Senior Citizens.

In the third and fourth sessions, Adv. Irshad Ahmad laid emphasis on Inter-Generational Bonding and Ageing with Dignity and Adv. Tasleema Jan delivered a lecture on Awareness regarding Elder Abuse and how to stop it.

Vote of thanks was delivered by Chairperson, TLSC (Munsiff/JMIC), Sumbal.

The programme was attended by Panel Lawyers, Staff members of DLSA Bandipora and TLSC Sumbal, PLVs and other members.