Over 1,000 wheelchairs bought during polls rust away
HYDERABAD: In a glaring example of how taxpayers’ money goes to waste due to the lax attitude of government officials, over 1,100 wheelchairs, which were meant to be distributed among differently-abled persons more than two years ago, are rusting away at the Adikmet community hall.
The wheelchairs were to be distributed ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections. However, that did not take place and ever since, the government officials and local public representatives concerned have not bothered to give them to the needy. What is even worse is that around 25 wheelchairs have allegedly “disappeared”.
“The wheelchairs are just dumped there, lying unused. Their condition is deteriorating and a large space of the community hall is occupied for no reason,” newly elected Adikmet BJP Corporator C Sunitha Prakash Goud said. The All India Disabled Rights Forum staged a protest at the community hall on Saturday demanding that the wheelchairs be immediately distributed among the eligible beneficiaries.
BJP accuses govt of being ‘anti-divyang’
“While physically challenged persons are going from pillar to post requesting the government authorities to sanction them the wheelchairs, more than a thousand wheelchairs are lying unused. Why did the government buy these if it was not going to distribute them?” Kolli Nageshwar Rao, president of the forum, said. BJP leaders joined the protest and accused the State government of being “anti-divyang”. They also alleged that the government is not implementing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 properly.
The saffron party’s OBC Morcha national president, Dr K Laxman, who visited the community hall and saw the condition of the wheelchairs, said, “When I took up the matter with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation officials, they admitted that these wheelchairs have been lying unused for years. But they say they are helpless.” He demanded that the State government immediately act on the matter and distribute the wheelchairs. When contacted, senior GHMC officials, including an Additional Commissioner, feigned ignorance on the matter.