KASARAGOD: The state government on Thursday agreed to create a temporary post of a telephone operator to accommodate a clerk who lost his vision to a condition called Marfan Syndrome while on the job.
Shajith Kumar K T (41), a clerk in Madhur grama panchayat, will now work as a telephone operator in the office of the Deputy Director of Panchayats in Kasaragod.
The Cabinet on Thursday approved the decision of the Department of Local Self Government to create the supernumerary post for Shajith Kumar. The post will be abolished when Shajith Kumar retires, said minister for local self-government M V Govindan.
The decision reflected the government's humanitarian stance towards people with disabilities, he said. "That is why the government took the right decision when his application came before it," he said and added that this government would take along people with disabilities.
Shajith Kumar, a native of Thalangara in Kasaragod, was born with Marfan syndrome, a genetic condition that damages connective tissues which provide support to organs. At the age of 13 years, his right retina got detached, said his uncle K Narayana. "He took up BA Economics but could not complete the third year," he said. Then he cleared Kerala State Public Service Commission (PSU) exam and joined the Department of Panchayats as a clerk five years ago.
His first posting was in the office of the Deputy Director of Panchayats (DDP), and later he was transferred to Manjeshwar panchayat. "That's when he lost his left eye too because of retina detachment," said Narayana. On compassionate grounds, he was posted at Madhur grama panchayat, which is close to his house. "But Shajith could not work and went on leave without pay," he said.
That's when he filed a petition with the Kerala State Commission for Persons With Disabilities.
The commission cited Section 20 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, and directed the state government to find a suitable job for Shajith Kumar. The Act says no government establishment shall dispense with or reduce in rank an employee who acquires a disability during his or her service. If he is not suitable for the post he is holding, he should be shifted to some other post with the same pay scale and service benefits. If it is not possible to adjust the employee against any post, he may be kept on a supernumerary post until a suitable post is available or till he retires, says the Act.
Hence, the government of Kerala decided to create a post for him to keep him on the job.