Halt to Harsh Financial Terms: A Protest for Accessible Disability Care
Protesting Parents in Chandigarh Over Admission Conditions for Group Home
In a nutshell: On May 2nd, family members of mentally ill and intellectually disabled individuals staged a peaceful protest outside Punjab Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh. The reason? The high costs and strict conditions tied to admission into the Sector-31 Group Home for persons with disabilities.
Approximately 40 protesters, comprising applicants and their relatives, carried signs and held a candlelight march, pleading for UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria to take immediate action.
Concerns were raised over recent notices issued by the social welfare department, allegedly imposing heavy financial burdens on families with no legal recourse. The department's communication appears to mandate that parents or guardians must accept all the terms and conditions to be eligible for admission to the Group Home. One contentious rule prohibits families from contesting these terms in court once accepted. The contested conditions include a ₹20-lakh security deposit and ₹7,000 monthly daycare fee, cross-subsidy charges, and other fees many families see as impossible to bear.
Rita Sharma, a single parent of an adult son with mental and physical disabilities, voiced her frustration. "We have been threatened with repercussions if we don't submit to all conditions within three days, without any legal avenues to seek help later. This is downright unjust and coercive," she said.
The protesters presented a seven-point memorandum to Raj Bhawan staff, calling for revisions in the terms. Their key demands include reducing the security deposit, waiving additional charges, and rationally reorganizing the admission process.
Background
As per recent reports, families have been under pressure to accept the financial terms of the Sector-31 Group Home without the option to contest the conditions in court. Threatening letters from department authorities with potential loss of eligibility have escalated these concerns, with families demanding fairness and support.
Suggested Changes
Families are hopeful that their protests will prompt the necessary action from the administration, aiming to lower the security deposit, eliminate additional charges, and streamline the admission process for a more equitable approach to disability care.
[Sources]- [1] The Tribune- [2] The Hindu- [3] The Indian Express
[Disclaimer: The revised article incorporates perspectives, insights, and additional information provided for context, but does not follow the exact structure of the original text. For the complete, unaltered version, refer to the original article.]
- Raj Sharma, a parent of a mentally ill child, was among the protesters outside Punjab Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh, demanding changes to the expensive and strict financial terms for admission into the Sector-31 Group Home for persons with disabilities.
- The protesters, including protesters like Raj Sharma, were waiving signs requesting the UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria to waive additional charges and rationally reorganize the admission process for a more equitable approach to family health and mental health.
- Recent notices from the Social Welfare Department contradict the government's claims of supporting health-and-wellness, as they allegedly impose heavy subsidies on families of persons with disabilities, including a ₹20-lakh security deposit and a ₹7,000 monthly daycare fee.
- In the face of these financial burdens, protesters like Rita Sharma, a single parent of a mentally and physically disabled adult son, claim they are left with no legal recourse, as the department's communication mandates families must accept all terms and conditions to be eligible for admission to the Group Home, with no right to contest the terms in court.
- The crackdown on affordable care continued as families like Raj and Rita, who are dealing with the challenges of raising children with disabilities, have been under pressure to accept the financial terms of the Sector-31 Group Home, risking their family's well-being, including their mental health and ability to provide proper parenting.
