Udupi: Differently abled stage protest demanding fulfillment of various needs

Udupi: The District Federation of Differently Abled Persons and Parents, Divyangara Rakshana Samiti, Saksham Institution, and other district organizations staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday, urging the fulfillment of various demands. A memorandum addressed to the state government was submitted through the Deputy Commissioner.

Differently abled participants arrived on wheelchairs, with walkers, or on stretchers due to ailments such as spinal issues and expressed their grievances before the Deputy Commissioner, Dr. K. Vidyakumari. The official received the memorandum and assured that it would be forwarded to the state government.

During the protest meeting, Vijay Kodavoor, the convener of the Divyangara Rakshana Samiti, stated that the Udupi district is home to approximately 13,000 to 15,000 differently-abled individuals. Among them, 124 are bedridden due to spinal injuries and require in-home medical services. He highlighted that the 5% funds reserved for the differently abled are being misused, often diverted towards road development under the guise of welfare.

Kodavoor emphasized the urgent need for the government to reintroduce specific welfare benefits for the differently abled.

Manjunath Hebbar, the association’s president, stressed the importance of allocating funds for hemophilia medication and ensuring the consistent availability of these medicines across taluk hospitals.

Santosh Jaladi, president of the Kundapur-Byndoor Taluk Committee of the State Differently Abled and Parents’ Federation, noted that a previous 50% travel concession for differently abled individuals on private buses was discontinued post-COVID and urged the government to reinstate it.

Jaladi further demanded a reassessment of the endosulfan-affected areas in Udupi, including Uppunda, Tallur, Uppinakudru, Kirimanjeshwara, Hemmadi, Katbeluru, Maravanthe, Navunda, and Gangolli, to officially designate these as affected areas.

Honorary president Venkatesh Koni and other key members, including Ravindra, Latha Bhat, Harish Shetty, Prithviraj Shetty, and Harish Tolpadi, were present.