Treasury office locked by neglected group

BAGALKOT: Three physically-challenged persons locked the district treasury office here for more than an hour in an attempt to pressurize the authorities to release their monthly pension on Tuesday. A tri-monthly progress committee meeting was being held simultaneously in the DC office.
Police intervened and assured the agitators that the pension would be released within two days.
The physically-challenged welfare association president Ghanashyam Bhandage demanded that the pension be released to women who suffered from congenital blindness as their pension had not been sanctioned for more than two years.
History of the incident:
Lalita Bailappa Ramawadagi, a resident of Bommanagi village in Bagalkot taluk, was born with congenital blindness. She was getting a monthly pension of Rs 400 but after a hike to Rs 1000 in the year 2009, the revised pension amount never reached her.
Along with Bhandage, Lalita approached the official concerned and requested that the amount be released. Even though she submitted an formal letter to the tahasildar, it was later stated by the treasury staff that they never received the letter. The agonized group comprising Bhandage, Mehabub Tonashyal and Lalita locked the treasury office.
Talking to reporters, Bhandage said it was the negligence of the authorities that lead to physically-challenged people like Lalita being unable to benefit from the government's schemes. He added that the government should take stringent action against officials who acted in this manner.