COIMBATORE: A 31-year-old differently abled man has been struggling to secure his Unique Disability ID card due to the alleged apathy of officials of the District Differently Abled Welfare Office in Coimbatore.
Abuthahir I of Somayampalayam cannot walk on his own and has 75% disability.
He claimed he had applied for the card as well as a battery-operated wheelchair on several occasions since last year by directly visiting the district office, but no action has been taken.
Abuthahir, who runs a petty shop for his livelihood in his area, says the card and the wheelchair will help him in his day-to-day life.
Abuthahir, who depends on his mother for mobility, told TNIE, 'When I travelled on a government bus last year, I showed my national identity card and passbook along with my disability certificate, but the conductor rejected them, saying they were outdated. Following this, I applied for a Unique Disability ID card at an Ungaludan Stalin camp last September, but there has been no response on it since then.
"Later, when I visited the district office in October in 2025, the staff told me that a new disability certificate from a doctor was required to obtain the ID card and a wheelchair. As instructed, I went for a medical examination with my mother; however, the doctor refused to examine me, saying I was not eligible for a battery-operated wheelchair. I was disappointed, as there was no guidance or support, and I had to spend around Rs 2,000 on each visit to the office," he alleged.
Frustrated, Abuthahir said he has stopped visiting the office as nothing was happening for him.
A functionary of the Coimbatore District All-Types of Differently Abled Welfare Association said several differently abled persons like Abuthahir have been struggling due to the lack of proper access to welfare benefits such as ID cards, wheelchairs, medical requirements, etc, as grievance meetings are not being held for them. She alleged grievance meetings were held once every three months in 2024, but since 2025, they have not been conducted properly, and urged the district collector to treat the issue seriously.
When contacted, a senior official from the District Differently Abled Welfare Office told TNIE that he would look into the matter. Regarding the conduct of grievance meetings, the official did not comment but said that Unique Disability ID cards are being distributed to differently abled persons.