Pune: Prahar Divyang Kranti Organisation, a disability rights organisation, has written to Pune Zilla Parishad CEO Gajanan Patil, demanding the immediate suspension of 130 primary school teachers for allegedly failing to undergo mandatory disability verification at Sassoon General Hospital despite being directed to do so.The organisation also sought action against 46 teachers whose disability claims were allegedly found to be ineligible during scrutiny. Its president Dharmendra Satav said they received complaints from many genuine disabled teachers from the primary education department that teachers with hardly any disability were showing bogus certificates and getting financial benefits, promotions, favourable postings and recruitment to posts reserved for PwD candidates.“We protested last year and the inquiry found that at least 46 teachers had less than 40% disability, the benchmark for benefits under govt rules. No action was taken by Pune ZP, and these teachers continue to get the benefits reserved for PwD candidates,” he said.He added that the ZP assured them during an agitation on June 25 that notices would be issued to the teachers and action would follow in 15 days in accordance with a May 6 court order. “No action has been taken beyond issuing notices,” Satav said.He added that ZP had told 270 primary teachers to verify their disability. While 140 got it done from Sassoon hospital, the remaining 130 did not. “We want those who deliberately avoided the verification process suspended,” Satav said.Patil said that as per the court order, they sent a departmental enquiry proposal to the divisional commissioner’s office against the 46 primary teachers. “It is up to the enquiry office there to send notices to each teacher and take action. ZP has done its part. Earlier, it was decided that Sir J J Hospital in Mumbai will conduct the disability verification process of the teachers. But they authorized Sassoon hospital to conduct the tests. Deputy director of health is the competent authority, and they have given a schedule for the tests of the remaining teachers, which is being followed,” he added.
