State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities K.S. Rajanna on Thursday said he requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to commission a survey to identify persons with genuine disabilities following reports of persons claiming to be disabled and availing themselves of government benefits.
“I have come across complaints of persons with false disability certificates availing themselves of benefits. Such instances are more in Mysore district. Therefore, a survey has become necessary to identify genuine disabled persons,” he told presspersons here.
Mr. Rajanna was at the State-run K.R. Hospital to inspect facilities available for persons with disabilities such as ramps.Expressing his displeasure, the Commissioner said that government officers and hospital authorities must be penalised for flouting the provisions of the Persons with Disability Act.
He took a PWD engineer to task at the hospital for constructing an unscientific ramp and ordered its immediate alteration. “This ramp is meant for scooters, not for physically challenged persons,” he told the engineer. The hospital authorities told the Commissioner that the hospital was housed in a heritage structure and there were limitations on making alterations.
Mr. Rajanna replied: “I know heritage structures need to be protected and the original architecture should not be altered. But, there are engineers who are experts in renovating heritage buildings and their services can be availed of.”
He said: “There is no separate parking or ramps for persons with disabilities. I will complain about this to the Chief Minister, the Minister in charge of Mysore district and the Health Minister. The mobility of disabled persons has been curtailed.”
