The recent hike in rent at the Old Age Home in Sector 43, Chandigarh, has left the inmates fuming. Earlier, the fee was Rs 3,500, which has now been increased to Rs 5,000. Including electricity charges and other sundry expenses, the hike totals around Rs 5,500.

“Almost everyone gets a pension of around Rs 6,000-7,000. If we have to shell out Rs 5,500 to live here, what are we left with? This hike is simply unreasonable,” said C S Rajwant, a Supreme Court lawyer and an inmate of the Old Age Home.

Till July, no money was charged from the inmates for the electricity. “Now, the electricity meters, which were earlier installed in our rooms, have been removed and installed outside. These meters can easily be tampered with in our absence,” added Rajwant.

The hike in rent is not the only problem faced by the inmates. On condition of anonymity, a battery of senior citizens told Newsline that K K Monga, manager of the home, misbehaved with them. “We are belittled, humiliated here. It’s an autocratic system and we are made to feel like kindergarten students. The manager plays politics and tries to divide and rule by poisoning us against each other,” said an angry inmate.

Monga denied the accusations stating: “The inmates are rich people and have crores of rupees. They can easily afford this hike. Further, I have never misbehaved with them. I have dedicated my entire life to social service.”

The inmates also alleged that Director Social Welfare Amandeep Kaur had not paid heed to any of their repeated complaints. “She pays us a casual visit once in a while. She is worried only when Jean Rodrigues is scheduled to arrive,” said another senior citizen. Narrating one such incident, the inmates said that after they had complained to Jean Rodrigues, the Director Social Welfare, rather than coming over to meet them to redress their grievances, directed them to meet her at her office.

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