Rethink on policies needed
By: Asif Ahmad Bhat
A while back, the government issued an order related to the specially-abled persons to get their document of disability re-verified. The purpose of this order was to expose the corrupt elements. Basically, there was a large proportion of people who had registered themselves as disabled when in reality they were physically fit and healthy.
On the one side, it was a good initiative to expose those masquerading as handicapped. On the other side, it was the beginning of a hectic process for those suffering from the slings and arrows of the damaged body parts. They were made to wander from pillar to post to get their documents verified like Unique Disability Identity card (UDID), which a person could get only at certain places; a document to be verified at the concerned Bank authorities; an affidavit from a first class magistrate; and an e-ticket from food and civil supplies department – and the list is endless.
Another major problem faced by them was that they could not send anyone to help them out; they had to do it themselves. The burden of the ‘Bio-Metric’ lay on their head as anything else. They had to visit each department multiple times to get their documents verified.
The time-gap between the appointments (visits) was in itself frustrating. For example, to get a UDID card, a specially-abled person had first to visit the concerned department to get the appointment. Almost after a week or two, he again was supposed to visit it to get his Biometric done.
The third time, he had to visit the local computer operator to get it downloaded or printed out. Similarly, they were to get an E-ticket from food and civil supplies department. They had to submit the documents in the first visit and almost after ten to fifteen days, e-ticket was issued in his favour.
The sufferings of specially-abled people did not end here. Not only they had to wait for almost half a month to get the documents verified, but also the buildings of these institutions or departments were in itself a major hurdle, adding to their suffering. They had to go to either the first or second floor of each department to get their work done. They had to wait until a bunch of people would come and lift them in arms (or through either through their wheelchair) to get them to their concerned room for documentation. After completing the formalities they again had to wait for people to get them to down stairs.
This process of lifting them was to be followed on each visit to the various departments. It was not the case all the time. Some people even ignored them which emotionally affected them a lot and forced them to think of their weakness or to be precise disability.
Also they had to wait in queue for a long time to get their appointments. I remember, when I had to visit the Medical Board at Jawahar Nagar to avail the signature of concerned medical officer for scholarship. I saw a queue of around fifty to sixty people waiting outside for their number.
One among the reason of that larger queue was that the Medical Board used to be open on only two days in a week, adding to their miseries. In case, if any person failed to fulfill prescribed formalities, he or she has to go through the same haphazard process of waiting a month to get the appointment.
It is not only the fault of those various institutions, but the state too is responsible. Changing the name of disability to specially-abled is not enough. Delivering speeches on disability day won’t improve their condition. No doubt the state took this step to bring transparency and allow the real beneficiaries to avail benefit. But the manner of its implementation was not people-friendly
Postscript:
- It is the collective responsibility of society to not let them feel that they have any disability.
- The state must restructure the pattern of their buildings, shifting main office to the ground floor or making special arrangements so that the specially-abled person will not suffer to get their work done.
- The state may provide an increment in their pension.
- The criteria to avail the various documents must be simple and easy.
- Their work must be given a top priority to avoid frequent visits.
- A separate department apart from social welfare department must be there that would have a link with all the concerned institutions or department, so that specially-abled people need not visit various departments to get their work completed.
- No doubt there are numerous NGOs who tirelessly work for improving the standard of specially-abled persons. Still, there are deficiencies and loopholes about their policies – and it requires an immediate attention.
(The author is pursuing M.A in history from University of Kashmir)
