Unique punishment for delay: Officers ordered to serve students with disabilities

New Delhi: The Disability Affairs Department has meted out a unique punishment to the officers -- serve students with disabilities for five days -- found responsible for delaying by four years updating the category of an employee to PwD in the service book.

Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Rajesh Aggarwal expressed strong disapproval of state-owned MTNL's failure to just change the category of the complainant employee from General to the PwD.

Through an interim order on November 16 whose copy was shared with PTI, the Chief Commissioner has issued the unique recommendation aimed at fostering awareness on disability matters.

A senior official with the department said the Chief Commissioner has directed the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) to identify and send the officers responsible for the prolonged delay to the Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust.

The officers are mandated to perform five days' service to students with disabilities before December 31, ensuring their proper sensitization to disability-related issues.

Furthermore, the Chief Commissioner has called for a comprehensive report from the telecom firm following the implementation of the recommended action, the official said.

This step aims to assess the impact of the sensitization programme and ensure accountability in addressing disability-related concerns within the organization, the official said.

The Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities was set up to take steps to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities. Its hearings are held regularly to consider the issues faced by the people with disabilities.