Police foil disabled persons’ march; dozens detained

Police on Monday detained over two dozen members of the J&K Handicapped Association (JKHA) when they tried to take out a protest march in Lal Chowk area here on the occasion of World Disability Day.

The JKHA members, including children, had gathered at the Mushtaq Press Enclave and tried to stage a protest march against “government apathy” when police stopped them and took dozens into custody.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, JKHA president Abdul Rasheed Bhat said that the government was not paying attention to the long-pending demands of the disabled persons.

“We have decided to observe World Disability Day as a black day because every time the government promises us that our demands will be fulfilled but then forgets everything,” he said

The protest was later joined by disabled students of Zaiba-Appa Institute of Inclusive Education Bijbehara. Carrying placards “We don’t want pension, We want education” “Give us our rights”, the students said the aim of protest was to inform the general public about the difficulties being faced by the disabled persons.
Bhat  flayed the government’s non-serious approach in addressing the genuine problems of the disabled persons.

"We demand our rights be upheld and the schemes for handicapped persons be implemented without delay," he said, adding even after assurances from the government, nothing has been done.
He accused the state government of failing to implement  schemes even after the funds have been released by  Government of India

"There are many schemes for which the Centre has sanctioned funds, but the state government does not implement the schemes," he added.

 The members of the association sat on a hunger strike in October to press for their demands, but called off the four-day strike after assurances from the government that their demands will be met.

Disabled persons threaten immolation

Dozens of members of the Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association (JKHA), who are on an indefinite hunger strike since Monday, have threatened self- immolation if the government fails to address their demands.
“If our demands are not met by October 4, we will set ourselves on fire,” Abdul Rasheed Bhat, President JKHA, said   on Tuesday at the Press Enclave here.
The JKHA, Rasheed said, had hoped that the hunger strike would “awaken the callous government from its deep slumber but nothing has happened so far.”
“Not even a single official from government has come here,” Rasheed said,
According to Bhat,  there are 3.6 lakh physically challenged people in the Valley. “. The number of handicapped persons in Jammu and Kashmir is in lakhs but still the government is unmoved by our plight,”  said Bhat.
Bhat said that following several days of hunger strike and protests  by the disabled persons in May this year, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had “promised  to fulfill our genuine demands but nothing has happened so far.”
The demands by the association include reservations in government jobs, enhancement of monthly pension from Rupees 400 to 1500, low interest loans, free education to the children of handicapped persons, to provide similar facilities as provided to SC and St categories, 50% concession in electricity bill, setting up of a handicapped advisory board, and introduction of Braille instruction based education system from primary to university level in the state. The JKHA also demands free medical aid in government hospital, opening of special counters for them in all government departments, provision of artificial limbs, free water connections and installation of solar lights near their houses and re-advertisement of backlog vacancies reserved for the handicapped persons.
Meanwhile, a JKHA member, Farooq Ahmed Bandana of Handwara was shifted to SKIMS Soura after his condition deteriorated on the second day of the hunger strike.

Disabled persons start indefinite hunger strike

Scores of J&K Handicapped Association (JKHA) members Monday camped at the Press Enclave here to launch an indefinite hunger strike against “government indifference ” towards  their long pending  demands.

“Every time we are promised that our demands will be raised in state assembly but nothing happens. This time we are holding an indefinite hunger strike just to awaken the callous government,” Abdul Rasheed Bhat, President, Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association told Kashmir Reader.

“Last time when we held indefinite strike, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured us that our demands will be addressed,” said Bhat, adding “but the promises proved hoax.”

According to Bhat there are 3.6 lakh physically challenged people in the Valley. “It is not the matter of few persons. The number of handicapped persons in the state is very huge,” said Bhat. “But the successive governments have ignored our plight,” he added.

Claiming that a huge number of people have lost their legs, eyes and hands during the years of insurgency, Bhat said the number has increased since extensively.

Demanding a higher education institution for the handicapped persons in the state, another member, Mohammad Shafi said, “Currently there is no school for the higher education in the Jammu and Kashmir for handicapped persons.”

“We do not need any promise what we want is concrete action on practical ground,” Shafi added.

“Government has sanctioned a meager rupees 400 per month for us which is in no way sufficient for us but even that amount is paid after lapse of months,” Shafi said. Shafi complained that government was showing “zero sympathy to us.”

The demands by the association include reservations in government jobs, enhancement of monthly pension from Rupees 400 to 1500, low interest loans, free education to the children of handicapped persons, to provide similar facilities as provided to SC and St categories, 50% concession in electricity bill, setting up of a handicapped advisory board, and introduction of Braille instruction based education system from primary to university level in the state. The JKHA also demands free medical aid in government hospital, opening of special counters for them in all government departments, provision of artificial limbs, free water connections and installation of solar lights near their houses and re-advertisement of backlog vacancies reserved for the handicapped persons.

Only surgeon at highway trauma hospital transferred out

Emergency hospital Qazi Gund  that has been set on Srinagar Jammu highway proving  pivotal in taking any accident on this road, has been without a surgeon for past 10 days since  the surgeon posted there has moved to Sub district hospital Chadoora without been relieved from hospital.

According to sources in the Emergency Hospital Qazigund, a few months back Dr Nazir Ahmed was transferred to District Budgam and a new medico was brought there who was a plastic surgeon.
“The department raised objection with our concerned officials and they held back transfer of the previous doctor,” the source said.
He added that some 15 days ago Dr Nazir Ahmed left for Chadoora hospital following his transfer order, but the hospital administration was not duely informed.
Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital, Dr SM Andrabi said that he was unaware about the transfer. “I even don’t receive his transfer copy how would I have relieved him. I wrote to Block Development Officer (BDO) Kulgam and he assured immediate action.”
Constructed at a cost of Rs 13 crore primarily for handling trauma cases the emergency hospital at Qazigund faces dearth of staff and medicines which results in most of the emergency cases shifted either to Anantnag or Srinagar.
“We are helpless. We lack both manpower as well as medicines, that is the reason most of the patients who come here with major injuries have to either be referred to District hospital Anantnag or SHMS or SKIMS in Srinagar,” a doctor said.
“This trauma hospital even doesn’t have generator to run X-Ray machines in times of electricity curtailment. If a patient comes he has to get X-Ray done from Anantnag then come here for treatment,” said another doctor.
Minister of State for Health & Medical Education, Javaid Ahmed Dar, said, JKPCC has done construction without taking suggestion from the experts which resulted in problems.
“We will look into the matter and all positive steps will be taken to improve the setup of Qazigund emergency hospital,” Dar told Kashmir Reader.