Specially-abled demand 4 % reservation in Irrigation Department

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Pratibandhi Suraksha Sangstha, Assam (PSSA) on Wednesday stated that they will be compelled to stage agitations if four per cent reservation is not included for PWD (Persons with Disabilities) candidates in the vacant Irrigation Department posts.

Addressing the media, PSSA general secretary Nripen Malakar underlined that for 643 vacant posts, the department conducted an exam. In this regard, following a writ petition (553/2020) filed by the PSSA, the Gauhati High Court directed the Irrigation Department to fill up 26 posts with PWD candidates out of the total vacant posts. The direction was given as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the relevant rules framed under it.

Malakar stressed that the Irrigation Department announced results for 397 posts. If the Irrigation Department follows the Court's order then as many as 16 posts should be reserved for the PWD candidates out of the 397 posts, he added. However, only names of nine PWD candidates were included in the list.

He added that if the Irrigation department does not follow the Court's direction then the PSSA will again take the matter to the judiciary. "We will stage protests against the Irrigation Department if the government does not solve the issue," Malakar asserted. The PSSA alleged that along with the Irrigation Department various departments are depriving the disabled candidates of vacant posts.

"Because of a section of officials from the Social Welfare Department many disabled persons have not received their disability certificates," the PSSA alleged.

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