INDIA: Senior citizens ready to man traffic

. PUNE, Maharashtra (The Times of India), August 13, 2008: Could there be just 1,200 senior citizens in a city of over 5 million? The quintessential question was asked by police chief Satyapal Singh while addressing a senior citizens’ meeting at Shivajinagar police headquarters on Tuesday. Earlier, the Pune police had initiated a programme where senior citizens staying alone were asked to register themselves with the local police stations. "The city’s population is over 50 lakh. It is not possible that only 1,200 old people live here,’’ Singh said. Singh informed that these 1,200 names have been forwarded to the International Longitivity Centre (ILC). "The ILC authorities will conduct a survey amongst these 1,200 people and try to understand their problems,’’ he said. The police had organised a meeting of senior citizens on Tuesday to understand their issues. On one hand, the seniors requested the commissioner to train traffic wardens while on the other hand a group volunteered to streamline traffic during peak hours. Some of them also promised to arrange 500-800 old men who will pitch in to help the staff-crunched police. "We are overwhelmed by the helping hand extended by the senior citizens, but they should be capable enough to stand at chowks for at least two hours,’’ Singh said. Singh has promised senior citizens that the number of meetings will be increased and to organise one at Pimpri-Chinchwad to facilitate senior citizens staying there. Copyright © 2008 Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.