AGARTALA, October 21 (TIWN): A walkathon was organized by Help Age India in collaboration with NGO partner Abhoy Mission, here today. The walkathon started from Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan and it ended at Agartala Town Hall. Minister Bijita Nath and Mayor of AMC Dr. Prafullajit Sinha formally inaugurated the walkathon by lighting of the duly flagged off Rabindra Bhavan.

Speaking to TIWN president of Abhoy Mission Shyamal Deb said that, the intergenerational walkathon was enthusiastically participated by senior citizens from SBI Retired Persons Association, Pensioners Association, Senior Citizen Association of Agartala school students from Army Public School, Maharani Tulsivati  Girls High School, Assam Rifle Public School and St Pau’ls school. The children with special abilities also joined in solidarity with the cause. The elderly benificaries from Help Age India, Abhoy Mission and other NGOs in Agartala were eager participants with placards for active ageing and the Swacch bharat Campaign, he added.

Raising its voice against elder abuse, Help Age India released a nationwide report on elder abuse in India (2014) just prior to world elder abuse awareness day marked globally on June 15.

Released nationally the aim of the project was to bring to light the alarming growth of elder abuse in the nation with scale of abuse going drastically up to 50% from 23% the year before, when a similar study was conducted.

Women seemed to be more vulnerable with 53% women facing as against 48% men.