Karnataka HC asks state to file status report on welfare of persons with disabilities

BENGALURU: Issuing notice to the state government, the Karnataka High Court on Friday directed the government to file a status report on the prayers sought by the petitioners in a public interest litigation concerning the effective implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha passed the order after hearing the petition filed by Y Karthik (27), Y Kaushik (27), and their father, Y Satish aka Satish Yeachareddy, who is an MLC from Ballari and Vijayanagar districts. Karthik suffers from visual impairment and cerebral palsy. Making the Department of Women and Child Development Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens and Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, which are responsible for the implementation of the Act, as respondents, the petitioners have prayed the court to issue directions to those departments to set up additional special schools and institutions commensurate with the population of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the state, ensure infrastructure in all schools is accessible to PWDs, establish special training centres to promote vocational training for them, ensure four percent vacancies of the cadre strength in all government establishments and they are filled by PWDs and approve the scheme to allocate five percent of each government departments budget for the welfare of PWDs. On account of the disability suffered by the first petitioner, the second and third petitioners are sensitised to the needs of the differently-abled. While the petitioners are financially sound and able to care for the first petitioner, the petitioners are aware that many PWDs in Karnataka lack basic care and do not have the means to approach the court, they said. The MLC said he has made significant contributions to advancing their rights. Despite highlighting the issues faced by the PWDs on account of the increase in costs of living, medical treatments and medicines, it has even suggested solutions towards addressing these issues. Despite these efforts, the state has failed to adequately respond to the issues raised by him and has failed to implement the provisions of the Act. Therefore, a petition has been filed before the court. Referring to the scathing remarks made in the Comptroller and Auditor Generals report against the state for the delayed implementation of the Act and several other issues, the petitioners stated that the state has failed to fully utilise funds allocated for PWDs empowerment and rehabilitation, and it has failed to avail of the central assistance.