Chandigarh, Aug. 13 -- In a first-of-its-kind action, the state commission for persons with disabilities has imposed a Rs.10,000 fine on the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) for not adhering to the commission's order in a case pertaining to differently abled employees' rights. The commission, in its June 6 order, had directed the premier institute to remove GS Sandhu as a consultant after the disabled employees' union flagged various grievances, including delay in promotions and implementation for 4% reservation for them across all cadres at the institute. They had also demanded that he is not given the charge of their rosters. The union had further claimed that Sandhu, aged over 70, had been appointed the consultant of the special cell against the instructions of the department of personnel and training. After hearing their complaints, the commission had ordered for his removal, stating there was a "crisis of trust". Despite the order, the PGIMER director again appointed Sandhu as the consultant of the special cell on July 26. During the hearing on August 7, the commission advised PGIMER to either withdraw the order or get a fresh one which is in consonance with the commission's directives. The case was adjourned for a day and taken up again on August 8. However, no representative of the PGIMER turned up for this hearing. Exercising its powers, which are at par with the civil courts as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, commissioner Madhavi Kataria imposed Rs.10,000 fine on PGIMER for non-compliance with its orders. Further, the commission directed the institute to submit compliance or action-taken report within 15 days of the date of the order. Though the Act came into force in 2016, the state commission for persons with disabilities came into full-fledged existence in October, 2024, with the appointment of a regular state commissioner. All states and UT have independent state commissioners for persons with disabilities....