During a special grievance redress meeting, the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) submitted a list of demands to District Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar.
A. Balamurugan, District Secretary of TARATDAC, noted that although these meetings are scheduled to occur every three months, the current session was held after a six-month delay.
Taking advantage of the session, Balamurugan said, they raised several long-standing issues, specifically calling for the full implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) to ensure equal access to all public spaces.
Mr. Balamurugan highlighted that numerous public spaces—including government offices, bus stands, malls, and hospitals—still lack essential accessibility features like ramps with handrails and proper communication systems.
He specifically pointed to the Periyar Bus Stand, where the toilets remain inaccessible to wheelchair users. “These cannot be dismissed as mere construction defects,” he noted, “as State-built public facilities are legally mandated to comply with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.”
Furthermore, he called for the installation of tactile flooring in both the old and new Collectorate buildings to help visually impaired visitors navigate independently.
He added that the current lack of braille signage forces visually impaired individuals to rely on others, a hurdle that could be solved by placing braille boards throughout all government offices.
Additionally, he requested that the administration to organise a special camp to issue driving licenses to differently abled individuals who have already been provided with retrofitted two-wheelers by the government.
Most importantly, he urged the inclusion of differently abled ration cardholders in the Tamil Nadu government’s ‘Thayumanavar’ scheme, which would grant them the eligibility to receive Essential Commodities (PDS) directly at their doorsteps.
Mr. Balamurugan appealed to the District Collector to regularise and streamline the special grievance meetings, noting that a consistent schedule is essential to prevent long delays in resolving the community’s issues.
Published – January 01, 2026 06:18 pm IST
