For years now the social welfare department has failed to install ramps and handrails at its central office here, which is often frequented by specially-abled persons to seek redress of their grievances related to financial assistance and pension.
As per official data, there are 76,543 persons registered with the department under ISSS (Integrated Social Security Scheme) and NSAP (National Social Assistance Programme). Under these schemes, monthly financial support of Rs 1000 is being provided to old people, destitute, widows, divorcees, and persons with disability.
On any given day a number of claimants can be seen struggling to climb the staircases to reach the office housed in a building at the old secretariat, here.
“The office room in the ground floor is in a dilapidated condition. Neither does it have facilities for its staffers nor for the specially-abled persons. We cannot go into it as it is not disable friendly. There are no ramps and handrail,” said a group of specially-abled persons.
They said, “The room in the second floor is again disabled unfriendly. One of the beneficiaries fell off the stairs while trying to reach to the office,” they said.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1998, “the government and the local authorities shall, within the limits of their economic capacity and development provide for— a) ramps in public buildings; b) adaptation of toilets for wheel-chair users; c) Braille symbols and auditory signals in elevators or lifts; d) ramps in hospitals, primary health centres and other medical.
The act, further, states that the government has to adapt all compartments, buses and vessels in such a way as to permit easy access of disabled persons.
The auditory signals and red lights on the public roads, it provides, shall be installed for the persons, who are visually impaired, causing curb cuts and slopes to be made in pavements for the easy access of wheel-chair users and blind persons or persons of low vision.
The act provides for engraving on the surface of the Zebra crossing for the blind or for persons with low vision, engraving on the edges of railway platform for the blind or the persons with low vision, and devising appropriate symbols of disability and warning signals at appropriate places.
Commissioner for Disability, Iqbal Lone who has a mandate to deal with the issues pertaining to specially-abled persons didn’t answer calls from this reporter.