6 of Chamba family get disability certificates after 10-year struggle

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, May 10

A mentally challenged family belonging to remote Kunga village of the Bhagaigarh panchayat in Churaha tehsil of Chamba district has been issued disability certificates by the state government.

The family was running from pillar to post for the past 10 years to get the disability pension. However, in the absence of disability certificates, they failed to get the pension. The Tribune had recently highlighted the plight of the family.

Official sources said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took cognisance of the news item that appeared in The Tribune and he immediately directed the Chamba administration to look into the matter and report to his office. Later, a medical team visited Kunga village and issued disability certificates to all family members — Ishar, his wife Chhakni and four children Sito, Teki, Lekh Raj, and Bheesh Kumar — who are mentally challenged by birth.

Now, with the intervention of the CM, the certificates have been delivered to all members of the family at their doorstep.

Notably, local panchayat pradhan Shukantla Devi had raised this issue and also approached The Tribune for highlighting their problem in these columns.