ROURKELA: Going beyond their call of duty, Sundargarh Police has decided to extend a helping hand to the elderly citizens living alone in the district. Senior citizens of the district can now call the police to seek help with medicines, food and other essentials as and when required.
Earlier this week, police created a database of elderly persons at Sundargarh, Rajgangpur and Birmitrapur towns. Police visited the houses of senior citizens to provide them identity cards and information on the police helpline which they can call during an emergency.
Saroj Kumar Patel, a retired government college faculty member, stays alone with wife Rekharani at Maheshdihi at Sundargarh town. His son Ishwar works in New York, while daughter Puja is married at Melbourne in Australia. In wake of the rising cases, Patel said that he feels unsafe to step out of his house to procure medicines and essentials.
On Wednesday, three police personnel delivered the couple their identity cards and asked them about their well-being. On Friday, he received a call from police assuring to extend all sorts of help in case of need.
“I am overwhelmed by the act of police and feel relieved with the assurance of getting help in any crisis. It is a much-needed assistance for people like me”, he said.
Sundargarh SP Sagarika Nath said that police will help both infected elderly persons in home isolation and non-Covid senior citizens residing alone.
In the first phase, a database of around 500 senior citizens of three urban pockets has been prepared. They are being given printed identity cards. The cards contain details of the beneficiaries including their blood group, emergency contact numbers of their closed ones and contact numbers of police aid.
She said contact numbers of the beneficiaries have been kept in the police call centre and the personnel would call up every senior citizen to enquire about their well-being. Besides, the personnel will also visit every senior citizen during patrolling at least once a week.
She said few local organisations have been roped in to provide cooked food to elderly persons in home isolation and those in need have been assured doorstep delivery of medicines and grocery so as to keep them safe at homes. The SP said senior citizens willing to put forth grievances need not visit the police station physically and they can have WhatsApp video conferencing calls with her on a fixed date.