PANJIM: The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has issued summons to the Director of the Social Welfare department for failure to be present in a case involving a disabled person gaining access to his office in Shram Shakti Bhavan. Additionally the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) has been added as intervening applicants in the case.
Vishant Nagvekar who works in Shram Shakti Bhavan filed the case with the commission saying the building was not disabled friendly and that he had trouble getting to his office in the building.
The commission that heard the case on Monday asked for director of social welfare to be present in person and issued a notice to be present for the next hearing on September 14. GHRC chairperson Justice P K Misra also admitted an intervening application from DRAG who added a list of 20 other buildings in Panjim that are not disabled friendly.
Justice Misra in his order has asked DySP Kiran Poduval to “carry out inspection in respect of all departments mentioned in the intervention application and submit a report within 30 days.”
DRAG president Avelino de Sa welcomed the order saying, “The court had said that all buildings were to be made accessible for the disabled by 2008, but this has still not happened to this day.”
