‘Wheelchairs given by government not perfect’

The wheelchairs, distributed earlier this month by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy, do not feature the recommendations made by members of Spinal Injured Persons Association. “After the late CM J Jayalalithaa, sanctioned Rs 1.95 crore in the TN State Assembly for specially designed wheelchairs, we have time and again sent representations with the Commissionerate of the Welfare of the Differently Abled in KK Nagar. But the wheelchairs that were distributed didn’t factor any of our customisations and the model supplied would not cost more than Rs 10,000. The cost will moreover come down if purchased in bulk, which was true in this case,” said D Gnana Bharathi, President, SIPA. 

The activists were unhappy that the tendering process was not transparent. 

“Some of the changes were gave were a request for a Velcro-based upholstery, so it can be easily straightened. We wanted wheels with grooves for easier movement over sandy surfaces. Instead of a cylindrical brake, we opted for a plate brake for a tighter grip. The front wheels were flimsy, less than an inch thick. None of these were taken into consideration, after being assured that our changes will be heeded,” he said. 

Lalith Kumar Natarajan, a 37-year-old who runs an NGO, said that with many persons with spinal cord injuries waiting for a wheelchair, especially in rural areas, the government should expedite the process and provide quality wheelchairs. 

“For example, we had requested for a wheelchair with plastic footrests instead of metal. A person with spinal cord injury will mostly have no sensations below injury level. While they are manoeuvring the wheelchair and if their leg slips, it will get wounded. These wounds take a long time to heal. There are many people who can’t afford a wheelchair, in the rural areas especially. The government, from now on, ensure that for Rs 20,000 allocated per wheelchair, they deliver a quality product,” he said.