Visually-impaired lock offices for amenities

KAKINADA: Inmates of a government orphanage for visually impaired persons on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the orphanage home demanding the government provide them proper facilities. The protesters locked the office of the orphanage to prevent the staff from attending to their duties.

According to sources, the government provides shelter to visually impaired people at Sambamurthy Nagar. There are around 50 individuals at the shelter. On Tuesday, 10 of them staged the protest and alleged that there were no proper beds for them and they are living in very unhealthy and unhygienic conditions. They have to face mosquito menace They alleged the food, supplied by the orphanage staff is of very poor quality and they are served the food in an unhealthy manner.

They claimed that the cooking vessels were not cleaned properly nor were the plates. They are given spoiled bananas that they are supposed to eat. They said that they were not being cared for and are not being treated  as human beings.

They said that the government had sanctioned Rs.30 lakh for the development of the orphanage home but the home is housed in a rented place. Over the past one and half year, they said they had submitted many representations to the District Collector, Disabled Welfare Department and other officials concerned, but they have not taken any action so far.

Statng that an inquiry had been made on their allegations, they claimed that the officials did not reveal the report or if any action was being taken on it. They also alleged that certain charges have also not been paid to them for past seven months. They appealed to Chief Minister Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy to sort out their problems by taking it on an urgent basis.

On Tuesday evening, the Joint Collector-2 Mr Sathibabu visited the orphanage and held discussions with the agitators. He promised them to sort out their problem soon. Then they gave up their agitation.

Meanwhile, the personnel in the orphanage said that they have not been given salaries for them for past four months, however, they were taking very much care to the members of orphanage. They said that there was no problem with providing food to them and their allegations are baseless. They said non-vegetarian is served to them mixed with other fodd items.