The United Voice for Disability and Equity, a forum of social and disability organsiations, on Sunday served a one-week ultimatum to the State Government to remove Minati Behera as the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and, instead, appoint an expert on the post.
Around 100 PWDs coming from across the State joined hands and decided to meet the Chief Minister, the Women and Child Development Minister, the leader of Opposition and the Chief Secretary to press their demand this week.
“We have been writing to the Chief Minister and other concerned authorities appealing to them to ensure appointment of an expert as the PWDs Commissioner, but to no avail. Now, we will meet them physically and give them seven days to act, failing which hundreds of PWDs will resort to agitation,” social activist Sruti Mohapatra told mediapersons here.
Several organisations and social activists have been questioning the appointment of Minati Behera, alleging that Behera is ineligible for the post. Mohapatra said, “The position should be held by a person with expertise in the field of disability and who is aware of the specifics of the different kinds of problems associated with disabled people.”