It's uphill task to get certificates: Divyangs

Rajendranagar: People with disabilities (Divyangs) in Rajendranagar are facing hardships in getting Software for Assessment of Disabled for Access Rehabilitation and Empowerment (SADAREM) certificate, as the medical camp being set up to examine the applicants is presently located at Kondapur, a faraway place for many to reach conveniently.

SADAREM certificate is mandatory for every disabled person to benefit from government schemes, especially to get the pension approved. The medical camp is being organised once a week.

However, many are not in a position to at least walk, and they need help of an escort to reach Kondapur and to participate in the medical examination. "My nature of disability does not allow me to travel so long for medical check-up. I was operated in the spinal cord and can't travel far away from my place. It is a big task for me to get the token and to travel all the way to Kondapur," said Ghori Bee, an old lady of Hassan Nagar who applied for SADAREM certificate and waiting for a call.

Similar, Mohd Shakeel, a paralyzed person of Rizwan Colony in Shastripuram, can't move on his own and need two escorts to carry him. Kondapur is more than 20 km from Rajendranagar, and it is causing a great inconvenience to the disabled and elderly to reach the medical camp. According to official sources, the camp is being organised once in a week at Kondapur, for which 10 to 15 tokens are being issued at GHMC Office in Rajendranagar.

"To avoid inconvenience, we have organised a medical camp five years ago at Budvel to hand over SADAREM certificates. But, no such facility was provided after that," they said.

Out of 27,641 disabled members in Ranga Reddy district, only Rajendranagar circle has over 2,000 Divyangs and most of them are enrolled under saving group. Currently, Rajendranagar circle has 43 groups and each group has 5 members.