Differently abled persons stage protest alleging improper conduct of grievance meeting

Differently abled persons staged a sudden protest in front of the Thoothukudi Collectorate on Friday, alleging that the special grievance redress meeting for them was not conducted properly.

The special grievance redress meeting for the differently abled persons was held at the Collectorate under the chairmanship of District Collector Vishu Mahajan. Differently abled persons from across the district participated in the meeting and submitted 136 petitions.

Special Deputy Collector of Social Security Scheme Firdous Fathima, District Differently Abled Welfare Officer Kamatchi and officials from various other departments were present at the meeting.

However, a group of differently abled persons staged a sudden protest in front of the Collectorate, alleging that the grievance redressal meeting had not been conducted properly.

They alleged that several officials at the block and taluk levels had not participated in the meeting and their petitions submitted to the Collector had not been addressed immediately. They also alleged that differently abled persons were being made to make repeated trips to government offices to get their grievances addressed.

Speaking to The Hindu, an official from the District Differently Abled Welfare Department denied the allegations. The official said the meeting was conducted properly and the petitions submitted by the participants were duly acknowledged.

Officials from key departments, including the taluk administration and employment department, were present at the meeting. The official further noted that a grievance redress meeting for differently abled persons was held on Thursday at Kovilpatti, Tiruchendur and Thoothukudi taluk office to address their grievances.