Disabled have problem entering secretariat
A team of activists was stopped by the security personnel and asked to leave their vehicles outside secretariat
By : pramila krishnan
Update: 2014-08-29 05:04 GMT
Chennai: Disabled rights activists, who visited the Secretariat on Wednesday for a meeting on a call from the social welfare minister B. Valarmathi, complained that their vehicles were not allowed inside. A team of activists was stopped by the security personnel and asked to leave their vehicles outside secretariat. They said that a fortnight ago, disabled persons were stranded on the road and the minister came to their rescue to enter the Secretariat.
Pointing out GO 21 issued by the Municipal administration department in 2013 TMN Deepak, one of the disabled persons said, “The GO states that facilities like ramps and parking space should be created in all government offices to help access for the disabled persons. We were disturbed that those said facilities are not even provided in the Secretariat where the GO was passed,” he said. He said that his team members needed the vehicle to reach the venue only because of their disability. “The security personnel could check our vehicle and even enquire with required departments. Why should we be asked to walk to the venue,” he told DC.
Another activist S. Namburajan recalled that similar harassment was meted out to a group of disabled persons during a recent meeting with the social welfare minister on August 13 at the secretariat.
“Our team wanted to meet the minister regarding the discrepancies in the government school for the hearing impaired students in Thanjavur. But the security personnel denied the entry of the vehicle into the Secretariat,” he said. He said after half an hour, the minister came in person to help them.
When contacted, social welfare minister Valarmathi said that she would take up the issue immediately and resolve it. “Last time I intervened and helped them to enter the secretariat. I will check out with the security personnel and put an end to the issue,” the minister told DC.