INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
BALEWA, APRIL 25Bishwonath Regmi, 74, of Baglung Municipality had to wait for hours in queue while visiting Dhaulagiri
Minister Regmi undergoing treatment at Bir Hospital
Greek alpinist Antonios Sykaris dies after scaling Mt Dhaulagiri
Though it is said that senior citizens do not have to stay in line to wait for their turn at the hospital to avail
service, hospital staffers insulted Regmi and made him stand in queue.
Saying although there is a provision of 50 per cent
concession to senior citizens while travelling in public vehicles, no one has implemented it, senior citizen Regmi complained that although
the state has made legal arrangements, the senior citizens are deprived of such facilities due to lack of sensitivity of bodies concerned
towards senior citizens' rights
At an interaction organised by the National Human Rights Commission in Baglung, senior citizens participating in the programme, shared they
were neglected by all.They complained about the discrimination they were facing while receiving treatment through insurance scheme at public
places.Secretary of Senior Citizens Association Harilal Subedi said there was no programme to honour senior citizens, adding that they had
failed to organise some of the programmes after the local levels did not provide information about the budget allocated for senior
citizens.Employees did not respond when asked about the budget and programme, he said, adding "We have become burden on society."Bishwanath
Regmi, a local of Ward 3 complained that they had been deprived of health insurance and other facilities meant for senior citizens
"I am, till date, deprived of health insurance and concession in public transport given to senior citizens," he complained, adding that
though the schemes targeing older people were good, its implementation was still awaited
"Our rights are just confined to paper."According to civil society leader Kaji Gaunle Shrestha people in the rural areas are even not aware
of the rights given to them by the law.Advocacy for implementation of legal rights of senior citizens sometimes triggered a tussle among the
implementing bodies and target groups.They expressed their grievances during discussions on the rights of senior citizens
Commission of Senior Citizens' Chief Kalpana Nepal, human rights activist Sharmila Thapa, CDO Ramesh Dhakal and SP Dayanidhi Gyawali, among
others, apprised about facilities meant for senior citizens.A version of this article appears in the print on April 26, 2022, of The
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