Police launch helpline for seniors

PANAJI: Goa police on Wednesday launched 1090,
a dedicated toll-free helpline for senior citizens in distress, at the hands of chief minister Laxmikant
Parsekar.
Speaking on the occasion, Parsekar said that though the job of the police is to maintain law and order, it is desirable nowadays for police to reach out to the needy in society and to become people-friendly.
Calls to the toll-free helpline will go to the police control room where staff will take down details of the call and relay the information to PCR vans and the police stations concerned. Depending on the nature of the call, police will immediately mobilize relief to the senior citizen in distress. If medical help is needed, they will request the ambulance to visit the senior citizen or police will themselves visit the citizen to provide relief.
The helpline is basically intended to ensure safety and security of senior citizens in Goa. In this connection, beat constables will now visit and keep a register of senior citizens. Police will also conduct verification of servants and also keep telephone numbers of NGOs engaged is such activities.
Diogo D’Costa, president of forum for senior citizens of India, described the helpline as the “chief minister’s Christmas gift to senior citizens”. He said the helpline fulfilled a long-pending demand of senior citizens. D’Costa said that like in South Goa, police should also form committees of senior citizens in all police stations of North Goa.
The acting chief secretary, R K Srivastava, director general of police T N Mohan and inspector general of police Sunil Garg also spoke.