KANNUR: The aged and the ailing travelling as standing passengers in buses while robust youngsters enjoy a comfortable ride is a usual scene and commuters in general seem to be unaware of the stark denial of justice taking place right under their noses.
According to the 2011 Census, there are 7.4 million people above 60 years in the state, constituting 12.6 per cent of the total population.
The studies on census trends indicate that the state has been witnessing a demographic transition during the last two decades and the elderly population here is all set to go above 20 per cent of total population within the next two decades.
Considering the plight of the elderly men and women travelling in buses, and following repeated pleas of various outfits for the elderly, the Transport Department had amended the norms last year and reserved up to 20 per cent seats for senior citizens in ordinary and limited stop buses plying in the state. However, officials and bus crew continue to pursue an apathetic stance in the issue, thereby affecting a considerable chunk of the population.
As per the new government decision, a bus having 40 seats will have to reserve 8 seats, four for men and four for women senior citizens.
But senior citizens allege that the norm is not being followed and their claims for a deserving seat often end in fruitless and tiring arguments. The conductors in majority of buses refuse to heed their requests and the officials concerned too adopt a lukewarm attitude, they allege. A senior advocate in Kannur bar said that as he approached a Transport Department official concerned with a written complaint against a conductor who had denied him the deserving seat, the official harassed him and argued for the conductor till the complainant revealed his professional identity.
Responding to such issues Assistant Superintendent of Police, Thalassery, T Narayanan said that a joint awareness meeting of bus owners and bus crew would be convened soon in this regard.
“We will make the owners and workers realise the necessity and urgency of ensuring the reserved number of seats for senior citizens. The traffic wing will also be directed to strictly implement the norm,” the ASP added.
Awareness Drive
Meanwhile, the Elders Forum activists in Kannur have launched a campaign in buses to create awareness among bus crew and passengers about the necessity to vacate seats to aged people. The forum members even affixed stickers in buses indicating the reserved seats. “Despite the government decision, in many buses the seats have not yet been reserved for the aged and we have to engage in unwanted arguments with other passengers. Often the bus crew tend to ignore our request. Hence, the strict implementation of the decision of Transport Department is a must,” said professor M S Sudheeran, former principal of SN College, Kannur, and the president of Elders Forum.
The order of the Transport Department has clearly specified the new seat reservation policy: “The Committee on the Welfare of Senior Citizens of the Kerala Legislative Assembly (2011-14) recommended the government to reserve 10 per cent seats each for senior citizen gents and senior citizen ladies travelling in stage carriers. The government has considered the recommendations and decided to reserve 20 per cent seats, one half each shall be provided for senior citizen gents and senior citizen ladies.
“For the implementation of the decision, the government has decided to amend the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989,” the order said. However, most of the buses still do not insist on implementing the order and the bus crew often raise apprehensions about it. Responding to the issue, joint RTO Abdul Shukkur said that the Motor Vehicles Department has always been alert to see that the norm to reserve 20 per cent seats were being strictly followed.
“Some of the buses do not mention the reserved seats. But when such buses arrive to renew the Certificate of Fitness, we will ensure that the senior citizens seats are reserved and clearly mentioned. Since it is a new order, people are not much aware of it and hence conductors find it difficult to ask others to vacate such seats for the aged,” he added.
