Impaired persons in Delhi are not able to access food grains and financial help from the Delhi Government. A 12-year-old girl died as she was denied to get food grains because she did not have an updated Aadhaar Card.
Delhi Government provides financial help and offers food grains to needy people. But, a visually impaired girl of 12 years old died for want of food grains, medicines, and financial help. According to the information got, she was not given food grains as she did not have an updated Aadhaar Card which requires a retina scan. The girl died in Swami Dayanand Hospital at Shahdra on July 1.
HIGH COURT TOOK A STAND FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED GIRL WHO DIED IN SHAHDRA
The court got to know about this case on July 15. Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued a notice to the Delhi Government and took a stand for the visually impaired girl. The High Court asked the Delhi Government to come up with the solutions to the grievances. Saurabh Singh filed a petition by which he said that during the lockdown and after the relaxation period, visually impaired persons are not able to reach the food centers and could not get financial help or in terms of ration.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DO NOT HAVE RATION CARD AND DISABILITY CERTIFICATE
Advocate Kabir Ghosh who is appearing for Saurabh Singh said that the court was sought to hear an instant petition signed on June 30 but denied the request. On July 1, the girl died. The petition revealed that there are many other persons with disabilities in the national capital who were not able to access any financial help or food grains as they do not have their ration cards and disability certificates.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE NOT GETTING DISABILITY PENSION
Saurabh Singh is the Disaster Management Expert. He said that while the government is running a scheme for visually impaired persons, the scheme is not released on time. Many of them are unable to take benefit as some of the applications are pending. This COVID-18 crisis affected all the sections of society and people with disabilities. Impaired persons are majorly affected due to the environmental and physical barriers they have to face. This petition includes many other visually impaired persons who do not have access to food grains as they do not have ration cards or disability certificates. It is also claimed that people with disabilities are not getting their disability pension.