NEW DELHI: Life has not been an easy ride for 41-year-old visually impaired Nitin Bindlish, yet somehow he has always been able to come up trumps.
Over the past year though, Bindlish, faced a problem which made him doubtful about life ahead. His problem, though was finally addressed by the commission for people with disabilities.
Bindlish, who started suffering from blindness due to jaundice, trained himself for years and now runs a flourishing manufacturing unit of moulded rubber parts for tractors and vehicles.
The resident of Shalimar Bagh, over the last year has knocked on several doors including those of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Minister Satyender Jain, requesting the government to allot him an industrial plot of about 400 square meters in an area like Narela, Badli and Mangolpuri. His plea though had gone unanswered.
The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, TD Dhariyal, though, has come to the aid of the businessman and recently passed an order asking the departments concerned to make an allotment within three months.
“My father who is 74, regularly undergoes neurosurgery. This was the reason why I requested authorities concerned to grant me an industrial land where I can set up my manufacturing unit as then I would be able to take care of my father and it would be cost-effective.
"None of the officers helped me. I went to meet the Chairman of the DSIIDC but they did not entertain me,” Bindlish informed this newspaper.
The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) which is the authority on industrial plots in the national capital informed the court that there was no scheme under the DSIIDC for allotment of industrial to any section and there has been no allotment to disabled people.
According to the government as per ‘Relocation of Industries’ scheme launched in 1996, 21,937 plots have been allotted under the scheme, but none of them has been given to disabled people.
“There are specific rules under the ACT but then also there has been no help from these people. They are not willing to help a handicapped person,” added Bindlish.
What the law states
According to the complaint under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016- The appropriate government and the local authorities shall, by notification, make schemes in favour of persons with benchmark disabilities, to provide, (a) five per cent reservation in allotment of agricultural land and housing in all relevant schemes and development programs, with appropriate priority to women with benchmark disabilities.
The law also states five per cent reservation in allotment of land on concessional rate, where such land is to be used for the purpose of promoting housing, shelter, setting up of occupation, business, enterprise, recreation centres and production centres.