TIRUCHY: The lockdown has put differently abled people to great difficulty in terms of availing essential items for their daily needs. Activists complain that the helpline number 18004250111 which was launched by the government to assist the PwDs during the lockdown does not function round-the-clock. It takes at least a week for food items to get delivered or the calls are not answered, they pointed out.
Annakili, a disabled rights activist, said she got groceries delivered only a week after she contacted the helpline and the stock lasted for a week.
“It is not possible for us to step outside or stand in queue. After calling the helpline continuously for a week, I got the commodities-- 200 g of toor dal, 200 g urad dal, 50 g tamarind, 50 g mustard seeds and 50 g jeera. However, all my efforts went in vast as the stock lasted only for a week. We feel helpless and need financial assistance,” she said.
Another activist Balaji said he tirelessly tried to reach out the number but in vain. “Isn’t the government supposed to help us at this time?” He added that the Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a DBT of Rs 2000, but none of the PwDs he knew received it.
Kamaraj, a disabled rights activist, said, “I called the number continuously for three days and only after three more days they delivered the items (turmeric, chilli powder and atta). However, I did not get rice. We do not know what items we are entitled to.”
Many differently abled people in the city urged the government to bail them out.