Government Medical College, Patiala, not friendly to differently abled

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 19

Despite the provision of Central Government for grant-in-aid to state to provide a barrier-free environment to the differently abled, and spending over Rs100 crore on infrastructure over the past few years, Government Medical College here lacks ramps for the students using a wheelchair.

Ironically, despite being mindful of a quota for differently abled in the seats for the MBBS course, the college authorities have over the years failed to build a ramp so as to make such students attend the class hazard-free.

Will issue notice: Official

As per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, all public spaces, including government buildings, must have the infrastructure to make them accessible to the differently abled. We will issue a notice to the college. —Varinder Tiwana, District Social Security Officer

The upper story of the old college building has classrooms and lecture theatres for medical students. However, there is no ramp for students on a wheelchair.

A differently abled student at the college said, “It has been over a year that I am suffering the agony of going upstairs daily to attend the class, but the authorities concerned turned a blind eye to the situation.”

“No doubt, it is a heritage building and any alteration may not be possible, but there is an urgent need for provision of lifts and ramps for differently abled students,” said Dr DS Bhullar, president, Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association.

“It is totally inhumane and an act of criminal negligence,” said a lab technician working in the medical college lab for years.

Unfortunately, the newly constructed building, worth Rs35 crore, also lacks a ramp for differently abled.

District Social Security Officer Varinder Tiwana said, “As per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, all public spaces, including government buildings, must have the infrastructure to make them accessible to the differently abled. We will issue a notice to the college.”

Meanwhile, Dr Harjinder Singh, Director-Principal, Government Medical College, said, “We will send a proposal to build ramps for differently abled students at the earliest.”