Visually impaired persons have stated how they waited an entire day for a cylinder or had to return the next day to take it themselves from the agency.
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We talk about equality, but ground reality shows the tremendous hardship the disabled have had to endure. The ongoing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder crisis is an ordeal for many but things have compounded for the city’s visually impaired, who are being forced to navigate long queues and make repeated visits to gas agencies to access a cylinder. Gas agencies, which earlier ensured hassle-free home delivery, are compelling customers to collect cylinders themselves, leaving many — especially the disabled — feeling helpless.
Visually impaired persons have stated how they waited an entire day for a cylinder or had to return the next day to take it themselves from the agency.
Another man stated that nobody from the office answers calls, and when he stands in the queue to take the cylinder and tells the staff that he is blind, he is told to send somebody else. There may be many such examples of not just visually impaired but others suffering some kind of other disability, facing huge problems. One can understand LPG agencies are facing a tough time, too, given the severely stressed supply chain, but giving priority to the disabled cannot be a business question, it should be a humanitarian imperative.
Disabled persons, regardless of the condition, must be brought to the head of the queue at the very least. Second, cylinders can be delivered to their residence. A separate desk or a helpline specifically for the disabled will go a long way in addressing their concerns. An announcement system at the site of the queue may bring some kind of clarity and reassurance. Help the differently abled in tough times. This is not charity, it is parity.
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