Bhubaneswar: Disability Rights Activist Jitendra Biswal has expressed shock over the failure of the organisers of 20th National Para Athletic Chairmanship for facilitating the travel and other expenses of para-athletes.
The championship, to be held in Bhubaneswar from March 28 to 31, will be conducted by Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and Para Sports Association of Odisha in association with Government of Odisha.
Biswal has appealed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to do the needful so that the para athletes can come and participate in the event without hassles.
In a letter, Biswal stated that the para athletes are being asked to bear their own expenses like travel, lodging and boarding, local conveyance, etc apart from paying a participation fee of Rs 1,000 each.
“This is not only insensitive and unjustified but also quite criminal. Since the Championship is happening in our state which has been a great facilitator and promoter of all kinds of sports and Odisha Government itself is a partner in it. I appeal to CM Naveen Patnaik to step in & do the needful so that our para athletes can come and take part in the event without hassles,” he stated.
He also requested the organisers to support the para-athletes for their essential expenses in ways similar to what they do for normal athletes in other national sports events.
Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and Odisha Government cannot just take credit for holding such a mega event without discharging their basic duty of providing bare minimum facilities to the PwD participants, he added.
