Persons with disability deprived of allowance - Doti

Despite suffering from physical disability for years, many physically challenged people in the district have been deprived of the disability identity card provided by the government, effectively preventing them from laying claim to their rightful share of state privileges and allowances.

Local Til Bahadur Kalel, 50, of Chattiwan-1 is a physically challenged individual who had broken his left leg after falling from his bed at a tender age of five. However, 45 years after the accident that rendered him disabled, he is yet to get a certificate from the state approving his status as a disabled person. Likewise, Nar Bahadur Sijali of the same locality also shares a similar fate. After losing motor function in his lower limbs, he walks on crutches.

“The authorities have assessed and taken the data of about 30-40 physically challenged individuals from the district, but we are yet to get the certificates validating their disability,” Kalel said, expressing his ignorance over what might have hindered the process. Meanwhile, Khagi Singh Malla of Ghanteshwor-8 said that he along with seven other physically challenged persons in the VDC had to shell out Rs 8,000 from their pockets to bear the travel and accommodation expenses of the certificate distribution team last year in order to get the disability identity card.

According to the 2011 census, there are a total of 7,203 physically challenged persons in Doti district. However, only 1,659 of them have been able to get the disability certificates, said women development officer Sabina Shrestha.

The primary reason behind the disabled being deprived of the disability identity cards is the lengthy and cumbersome procedure involved in the provision. As per the provision, one can get the certificate only after being checked by a government approved health personnel and under the recommendation of representatives of the physically challenged association, district administration and Women Development Office.

Stating the necessity for reforms, Mahadev Bharati, chairperson of the Disabled Service Organisation, Doti said that it was next to impossible for elderly and children from remote villages to make it to the offices located far and about to get their disability identity cards made. Meanwhile, Shrestha said that they did not have enough budget to deploy personnel to villages to distribute the certificates. However, she said that provisions could be made for exceptional cases where it was impossible for the individuals to reach the concerned offices.

Although the physically disabled persons in Chattiwan VDC have formed an organisation with about 30-35 members, they have not been able to take their complaints to concerned offices located about 130 km away at the district headquarters Silgadhi.

“While the clever ones take the funds and utilise it for their benefit, who would listen to the woes of us old and disabled bunch?” Kalel asked.



Source: e kantipur, 24th Dec 2014