NEW DELHI: In a bid to sensitise different departments towards the needs of differently-abled people, the state commissioner for persons with disabilities has recommended the appointment of nodal officers of accessibility at 12 government agencies across Delhi. The recommendations made by commissioner for persons with disabilities T D Dhariyal follows a meeting held with the representatives of three municipal corporations, Cantonment Board, PWD, DDA and Urban Development Department.
“I have asked the government agencies in the National Capital to ensure the services, buildings and other facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. After witnessing a certain lackluster approach by a few agencies in person, I have asked them to specially depute a nodal officer for the same,” Dhariyal told The Sunday Standard.
The commissioner has also asked the Delhi Urban Development Department to constitute a monitoring committee to look at the overall implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, which entails provision of penalties if the rules are flouted by the agencies. As per the 2011 Census data, 2,28,427 people with disabilities live in the city.
“We welcome the first-of-its-kind step, although it is only effective if all the agencies follow up and strictly implement it. This will help in sensitising different departments towards the needs of people with disabilities,” said Anil Aneja, the nodal officer at the DU's equal opportunity cell.