Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 23:
Acting on a Public Interest Litigation (Pil) accusing state Government on inaction regarding measures for welfare of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), the Gauhati high court issued notices to the State government today.
Inspite of strict instructions by the centre, the State government has not appointed a full time commissioner for PWDs and that no specialist doctors are deputed at many district hospitals to assess degree of disabilities to these PWDs, the Pil mentioned.
Justice Amitava Roy and Justice UB Saha, in their Imphal bench sittings issued the notices in consonance with the Pil filed by Executive Director of Human Rights Alert Babloo Loitongbam.
Under section 60 (I) of Persons With Disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights) Act, the state had in 1998 appointed commissioner (social welfare) as ex-officio commissioner for the PWDs.
Since the incumbent is assigned double charge the same officer has not been able to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of the PWDs, it said.
In May this year the centre reminded the state�s chief secretary that it was mandatory for every state government to appoint a commissioner for PWDs having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of matters concerning rehabilitation process apart from assigning adequate officials and other employees to assist the Commissioner.
The chief secretary was also informed to take immediate measures for appointing full time independent commissioner for PWDs and intimate the same to the centre within June end this year, said advocate Paikhomba of Human Rights Law Network, Imphal unit, appearing on behalf of the petitioner.
According to a survey conducted by the social welfare department number of PWDs in the state tallies 24,689, the lawyer said.
The counsel further pointed out that any person with forty percent defects also encompassing disability factors like blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, mental retardation and mental illness - could be certified as PWD by the authorities.
Though the state medical board was set up in June 2001 and the district level board on September 2003 to assess degree of disabilities and issue disability certificates to the PWDs there have been no specialist doctors in the district boards except for Imphal and Churachandpur.
This being the case the number of certified PWDs is less than three thousand thereby depriving the rights to get the disabilities� benefits of remaining persons numbering over 20,000. Having issued the notices to the respondents - chief secretary, commissioner and director of social welfare department and health director among others - the court asked them to respond by December 8.