‘Many Govt offices in Jammu lack ramps’
Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 26: Bizarre it may sound but is a bitter truth that many Government offices in Jammu lack the very basic facilities like ramps to facilitate the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) for their accessibility to these places while almost all the branches of prominent banks and ATMs too lack all such facilities.
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In a significant move, recently the Supreme Court of India has directed the Centre to implement mandatory accessibility standards to improve access to public spaces for Persons with Disabilities.
“We took the issue with concerned officers many times and this was also highlighted by different media houses but nothing positive resulted on ground,” Kamal Kishore Verma, founder president of J&K Association of Physically Challenge Persons (JKAPCP) informed claiming that the big achievements of the authorities in this regard can be lucratively seen on papers but the truth is that these are nowhere in sight on the ground.
Sources informed that the Government offices, as norms, are supposed to have ramp and lifts besides the facilities of wheel chairs for persons with disabilities.
Ajay Sharma, working president of JKAPCP informed that the office of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, branches of almost all the banks, ATMs, offices of Health Department, Social Welfare Department, Education Department and most of the other Government and non-government offices lack ramps and lifts to support the movement of persons with disabilities.
“Astonishingly, the office of the Board for Physically Challenged Persons is housed at CMO’s office and it too lacks the facility of a ramp and the physically challenged persons visiting there have no option than to move up 25 stairs with great difficulty to reach the concerned office,” he maintained.
Iqbal Lone, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, J&K could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar informed that his office building got ramps some four months back.
When contacted, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Commissioner, Dr. Devansh Yadav said the new building of JMC was under construction and when completed, it will have the facilities of ramps and lifts to all the floors.
He further said that the building might be completed by January 2025.
When contacted, Director Social Welfare Department, Kishori Lal Sharma informed that he has recently taken over the charge of the post as an additional charge.
“As such, as of now, I have no such information but I will definitely look into the issue soon before which let me see the things properly first after which I will surely do whatever is required to be done,” he said.
About District Social Welfare Office Jammu, he said that such vital offices should definitely have the facilities like ramps as it is the main place in Jammu for the physically challenged people to visit for assistance and for many important purposes.
Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr. Rakesh Magotra, when contacted said that the building housing his office and other related offices like that of CMO was a very old one and there were no such norms like ramps for physically challenged persons when those buildings were constructed, so such buildings lack such facilities.
“But the department has now purchased land near fourth Tawi bridge where a new building will be raised for the office of Director Health Services and that building will take care of all such facilities for the physically challenged persons,” he informed adding: “Office of CMO Jammu is also expected to be shifted there.”
Dr. Magotra also said that the present building housing the office of CMO used to be a part of stores which even lack the facility of lifts.
“The new building will have all the facilities required for physically challenged persons and also for the elderly people,” the Director continued.
He further said that as of now they have only purchased the land for the building and the process of preparation of Detail Project Report (DPR) was underway and the building may come-up after few years.
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