People with disabilities have complained that due to the lack of construction of disabled-friendly physical infrastructure, people with disabilities in Mugu district are facing problems in getting services. Despite the Nepalese government’s policy mandating the construction of buildings that accommodate disabled individuals, the lack of practical implementation has left many facing ongoing challenges in obtaining necessary services.
Dhansingh Kami of Chhayanath Rara Municipality-13, now 40 years old, relies on crutches due to his physical disability. He notes that despite the Nepalese government’s mandate for disabled-friendly seats on vehicles and at bus stops, he says that it is not easy to take services at any place.He complained that he was unable to reach the health center in his village, Lum, due to accessibility issues. Additionally, the city bus operated by Chhayanath Rara Municipality has limited seats for disabled people, and despite this, he did not have the opportunity to sit on the bus.
None of the municipality buildings in the district, including Soru Rural Municipality, Khatyad Rural Municipality, Chhayanath Rara Municipality, and Mugam Karamarong Rural Municipality, are disabled-friendly.
According to the 2021 population census, there are 1,756 people with disabilities in the district, which has a total population of 64,549. Despite this significant number, there appears to be a lack of interest from the concerned authorities in constructing disabled-friendly buildings.
In Mugu district, apart from the District Hospital, no other office is disabled-friendly.Similarly, most of the school buildings in Mugu are not disabled friendly. There are 110 primary schools, 30 secondary schools, 2 high schools and 141 private schools in the district. 68 girls and 43 boys with disabilities are studying in these schools. There are only two disability-friendly schools in the district.
With the assistance of some non-governmental organizations, school toilets in Mugu district have been made disabled-friendly. However, these facilities remain unused due to a lack of water. Additionally, many essential public spaces, including government and private schools, the district police office, the district administration office, the post office, all health posts, and all banks in the district, are not equipped to accommodate disabled individuals.
People with disabilities face significant challenges in accessing health services. Manichandra Chaulagai of Soru Rural Municipality-9 Kalai also complains about the same issue. During a visit to Rastriya Banijya Bank, there was an opportunity to ask some questions. As he is a physically challenged person, he says that it is very difficult for him to climb the stairs of any house. He complained that the National Commercial Bank of Mugu was three floors above the building and it was very difficult for him to climb down due to his physical disability.This situation is common across all banks in Mugu. Most banks operate on three or four floors, which poses significant risks for disabled individuals, elderly people, and pregnant women when navigating the stairs.
Rithu Budha of Chhayanath Rara Municipality-11 shares a similar concern. She finds it challenging to access municipal services, particularly given her pregnancy. Rithu explained that navigating the stairs in the municipal building has been difficult for her. She emphasized that this issue affects not only herself but also pregnant women, small children, elderly parents, and people with disabilities who need to access services in the city. According to Rithu, the municipal office building is not customer-friendly, requiring individuals to navigate stairs, which poses a significant inconvenience and risk.
In some areas, the absence of accessible structures has made it difficult for individuals with disabilities to access services. Additionally, geographical challenges and road problems further exacerbate the situation, as reported by Junatara Yogi of Soru Rural Municipality-9.