TIRUNELVELI, March 14, 2015
Updated: March 14, 2015 05:44 IST
Reaching Aadhaar card centre, an uphill task
Senior citizens find it difficult to climb stairs
The Aadhaar card centre, which has been established in the first floor of a building at Radhapuram, causes severe hardship to the senior citizens, who suffer a lot to reach this place.
Since submission of Aadhaar card number for getting old-age pension was made mandatory, it was announced that the beneficiaries living in Radhapuram taluk, who are yet to receive the all-important identity proof, would be covered between March 1 and 31 through the centre established at the taluk headquarters. However, no proper schedule was prepared for covering the uncovered beneficiaries and hence commotion prevails in photographing the senior citizens for Aadhaar card.
To lessen this problem, the officials announced that a maximum of 50 persons would be covered per day on ‘first come, first served’ basis and tokens are being issued to the first 50 persons. However, most of these people with their tokens have to wait throughout the day at this centre, where there is no toilet facility.
While most of these senior citizens come either by public transport or a hired vehicle to this centre with their kin or relatives as they cannot manage on their own, they also have to spend the whole day there. For want of additional staff, the target of covering 50 people per day has become difficult for this centre and hence a few of those carrying tokens are being asked to come the next day and the ordeal continues for them.
The most agonising aspect of this arrangement is that this special camp is being conducted in the first floor of the building. Since most of the aspirants have crossed 60, they cannot reach the first floor without help.
While the Tahsildar, Radhapuram could not be reached on his mobile phone, Radhapuram MLA S. Michael Royappan said he would immediately look into this issue and ensure senior citizens-friendly atmosphere in the special camp for Aadhaar card.