SHIVAMOGGA: Ironic as it may seem, the office of the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens in Shivamogga lacks an entry ramp for the differently abled. This despite the government mandating construction of ramps and railings at all government offices.
Earlier, the office had a levelled surface for people on wheelchairs to enter the office. But the Shivamogga Smart City Ltd (SSCL), which took up footpath construction, laid slab which makes it impossible for the wheelchair-bound to enter the office, putting them to hardship.
C R Shivu Kumar, district convener of Sakshama, a national organisation working for the all-round development of people with disabilities, told The New Indian Express that due to the lack of an entry ramp, it has become a herculean task for differently-abled people to enter the office. The wheelchair-bound are now forced to enter from a side road which sees heavy traffic , making it dangerous.
“I have given the memorandum along with photos of the office to the SSCL Managing Director and the district administration one-and-a-half months ago, requesting to construct a ramp. Other establishments on the same road have ramps, but they failed to construct one at this office, which is ironic. Many people with disabilities had to be carried to the premises by relatives or friends.
Those who have come alone are left without help. Some have even crawled in, with no other option left. The authorities say they will construct the ramp in 15-20 days, but they constructed the footpath without building a ramp to the office,” he alleged.
District Disabled Welfare Officer Shilpa M Doddamani said that despite writing three letters to the officials concerned, the issue has gone unattended. Every day, more than 50 people with disabilities visit the office and they are facing troubles due to lack of a ramp. There is no provision for repair works under the department rules to construct the broken ramp, she rued.