Members of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers staging a demonstration at the Dindigul Collectorate on Friday.
| Photo Credit: KARTHIKEYAN G
On the occasion of World Dwarfism Awareness Day on October 25, people with stunted growth, along with members of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) staged a human chain protest outside the Collectorate here on Friday raising a slew of demands, including operation of low-floor government buses.
The organisers said, the human chain protest conducted ahead of the awareness day was to shed light on the plight of conditions of the people with stunted growth and to draw the attention of the public and government to their problems.
Their primary demand was to urge the State government to conduct awareness programmes and campaigns to prevent harassment and teasing suffered by people like them.
“People who are stunted should be declared as severely disabled and given priority in all government schemes. Also, the special schemes available for differently abled people in education and employment should be opened for them too,” they added.
While granting them free travel in government buses across the State was one of their demands, they also urged the government for operation of low-floor buses.
“Most of the time we find it hard to climb into the bus. It is also embarrassing to seek help every time we board and de-board buses,” they added.
They stated that they should also be considered for receiving a monthly allowance of ₹5,000 given to the differently abled.
“To help us during our travel in search of jobs, the State government should construct special hostels in district headquarters as temporary accommodation for us,” they demanded.
Published – October 24, 2025 09:33 pm IST
