PANAJI: Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao demanded that the government should immediately implement ‘Disability Security SOP’ and should restart the exclusive helpline number to address their issues.
In a letter to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Congress leader Yuri Alemao has said that the government has failed to keep continuity of the helpline exclusively started in 2022 for disabled people. “There are around fifty thousand disable persons in our state. With the initiatives of people working for their welfare, then DGP I D Shukla had launched this helpline. But after his retirement, this helpline stopped working. It should be immediately restarted,” Alemao said.
According to Alemao, in 2022, Goa police had allotted a common landline number of 1090 and had introduced a WhatsApp number 7875756000 for hearing and speech impaired persons and for those who lack confidence to speak to police on phone. It was also assured that exclusive helpline number for this service would be allotted, however it has not come into reality.
“I refer to Goa Standard Operating Procedure No. 04/2022, issued vide Reference No. MISC-I/(A)/50/1581/2022 dated 25.02.2022, which emphasizes the security and protection of individuals with disabilities within the State of Goa. The said SOP specifically invokes provisions under Sections 3, 6, 7, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95, as well as Section 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.PC), while further mandating adherence to Section 154 of the Cr.PC,” Alemao stated in letter.
“Senior journalist and other people are working for the welfare of disabled people. But the government has failed to heed to their demands. This proves that this government is insensitive towards disabled people,” he charged.
He said that as per SOP, police should once in a week visit the house of a disabled person and note if they are having any difficulties. “But this practice seems to have stopped. It is also mandatory to register any new person with a disability,” Alemao said.
Alemao said that he will raise this issue in the next assembly session, if the government fails to fulfil the demands.