From the States

Bangalore, Jammu & Kashmir

Lucknow

Mandi

New Delhi

World Disability Day

On the occasion of World Disability Day there were celebrations across the country organized by NGOs, government bodies or even by small groups. Bangalore was a hub of a lot of cultural activity. Children enjoyed an indigenous version of cricket using a "Gully" as a bat and a tennis ball.

Artistes demonstrated their skills at the Artistes Walkway on the MG Road Boulevard. At another stall Shahir Azeem, a former student of Ken School of art displayed artistic woodwork using deal wood. Street plays were enacted throughout the city.

In one of the plays the artistes did a parody of the crass commercialism of art, culture film stars Shah Rukh Khan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and hockey player Dhanraj Pillai making a reference to their commercial endorsements of soap, mobile phones and soft drinks.

The Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Welfare Association took out a rally from the Parade Ground to the office of Divisional Commissioner in Mubarik Mandi. The Association also submitted a memorandum of demands of the disabled to the Chief Minister.

The demands included speedy implementation of the State Disability Act 1998, appointment of Disability Commissioner, promotion and transfer policy for handicapped government servants, grant of nomination in state legislative council and soft loans to the disabled. They also demanded issuance of multipurpose identity cards to the handicapped.

The rally was a result of the inconsiderate attitude of the state government towards the handicapped people. The State President of the Association asked for convening a high-level committee having representation of the handicapped community to discuss and solve their problems.

In Delhi the Smile Foundation organized a walk for deaf and blind children. After the Walk, a charter of demands was submitted to the President on behalf of the Special Children. Aloka Gupta, Chairperson of the National Trust, was the Chief Guest so he flagged off the walk. Prabha Shah, celebrated painter, was the Special Guest for the occasion. She was born with an impaired auditory perception but still made a name for herself with her paintings.

Around 650 children from 10 Schools in Delhi and NCR, apart from 250 adult supporters of the cause, participated in the walk, from ITO to Rajghat. The objectives of the program included a demand for a nation-wide study, survey and census on deaf-and-blind people to press for a proper policy regarding special education and rehabilitation.

To mark the World Disability Day, the Cochlear Implants Parents Association (CVIPA) organized an evening of cultural activities, for over thirty children who have received cochlear implants, in Delhi. Activities like fancy dress, a group dance, short skit, individual talent shows like mono acting and puppet show and an arts and craft exhibition of the work done by cochlear implant recipients were organized on the occasion.

Once again it was a showcase of sheer spirit overcoming all odds to lead a normal life. The evening would reflect the ability of the profoundly deaf children to live a normal life; one being provided with a cochlear implant. Although still relatively new to India, more than 1,000 individuals have received Cochlear Implants with excellent outcome.

Source: Protest marks Disabled day in Jammu. Kashmir Times, Jammu, 4th December 2005. Various functions held to observe Disabled Day, The Excelsior, Jammu, 4th Dec 05. Deaf blind kids walk to mark World Disability Day, Mid Way, New Delhi, 5th Dec05. Hear them loud & clear, Mid Day, New Delhi, 3rd Dec05

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Charbagh Railway Station - no place for the disabled

If you are handicapped and dependent on a wheelchair for your movement, the Charbagh railway station is not the place to be for catching a train; there are only four wheelchairs on the station, no specific place for you to wait for the trains and in the absence of proper passage for wheelchairs, platform numbers six and seven are simply out of bounds for you.

As per railway norms, wheelchairs should be provided to every physically challenged passenger on any 'A' class railway station like the Charbagh railway station. Unfortunately, the number of these wheelchairs at the station is insufficient and is virtually unavailable to physically challenged passengers.

Private cellular phone companies and two charitable organisations have donated the few wheelchairs that the station can boast of. The anomaly became an accepted norm at the much-touted Charbagh railway station, till a physically challenged boy decided to take the lid off the goings on.

The occasion and timing that this courageous boy chose to protest was immaculate. On Friday evening at an interface organised by the OBC railway employees with the Union Minister of State for Railways, J.Rathwa, Akhtar Hussain, a handicapped boy, mustered enough courage to complain to the minister about the non-availability of wheelchairs at the railway stations.

Taking a serious note of the lapse, the minister instructed the concerned people to ensure such a facility at the station. Deputy Station Superintendent lamented that Railways did not provide wheelchairs at stations and those that were provided by the Railways in the past, soon broke down and needed repair.

Even as officials claimed that no additional charges were levied on the passengers for the use of wheelchairs and only the token of the coolies was deposited as security, a tea vendor claimed that the coolies charged a sum of Rs 100 from handicapped passengers for helping them out.

Railway officials seemed evasive in regards to platform number 6 and 7, where these passengers on wheelchairs could not go due to the lack of an appropriate passage. When contacted, Divisional Rail Manager R K Gupta said that such information of 'petty importance' could be availed from officials at the station.

Source: Disabled? Stay off Charbagh station. The Pioneer, Lucknow, 29 November 2005.

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The disabled share their plight on World Disability Day

Apart from physical handicaps, Ajay, Ati, Ved Parkash, Bhup Singh, Anu, Yaman, Atri Devi, all in 8-15 years age group, have one more thing in common: they are being neglected by the government and they are not alone. If one goes by the version of the parents of 192 physically and mentally challenged children identified so far in the district, it can be easily said that all claims by NGOs and the Government remain on paper only.

A World Handicap Day function was organized by the District Red Cross Society and was inaugurated by the Division Commissioner of Mandi, Mr. K Subramaniam. On the occasion, parents of the physically challenged children rued that they did not get medicines for the bed-ridden children and other aids like wheelchairs and hearing aids.

There has been no study done to know how much money spent on the rehabilitation work actually goes to these children as provided under the Handicapped Person Act, 1995, and 11-point benefits that the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) mentions in its pamphlets for public consumption. Take the case of Sanjiv, a student of Class 7, who suffers from paralysis of lower limbs.

He is taken to school at a distance of 2 km on someone's shoulders every day as no one bothers to provide him with a wheelchair. Though Sahyog, an NGO in the town, has taken 20 children under the SSA's home-based teaching and training programme, there are over 300 children in the district fending for themselves.

There were people complaining that nobody listens to them when they try and get a certificate and that parents were spending most of their earning on their children's treatment and had to go to Chandigarh for that and yet no one came around to help them.

Source: Disabled Victims of Govt. apathy. The Tribune, Chandigarh, 5th December 2005.

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Lets make delhi barrier free for the disabled

For the average person crossing a city road maybe difficult given the total disregard for traffic rules and lack of facilities for pedestrians, but for those with some kind of disability it is next to impossible.

But that may change, at least at a few traffic intersections in the city, with the Delhi Transport and Tourism Development Corporation (DTTDC) deciding to make them barrier-free for the visually impaired by providing auditory signals. To begin with, three busy traffic intersections at the AIIMS - Safdarjung intersection, Baba Kharag Singh Marg and ITO have been short listed for being made barrier-free.

The traffic signals will have an electronic alarm for the visually impaired pedestrians that will alert them whenever the light turns red, indicating that they should cross the road. So far, the city has only one such traffic signal with an auditory alert system at Karkardooma but there are plans to increase such signals with help of the industry.

In developed countries, you have Pelican lights to allow safe and easy pedestrian access, and almost every signal has auditory alarms but 2 is not a bad start for Delhi. Dilli Haat and the Garden of Five Sense in Said-ul-Ajaib developed by the DTTDC are both barrier-free and provide free access to all.

But activists working in the area of access say that traffic intersections should be accessible for all and not merely the visually challenged. Simple additions like street marks - messages in Braille indicating the location of the intersection can make things so much easier for a visually impaired person. Tactile strips can be used to guide them on lines of the Delhi Metro.

These signs should be put up at an easily reachable height - about 1,400 to 1,600 mm from the ground. Similarly, a permanent signage can be put up for the hearing impaired indicating the location. These were suggestions from Mr. Sanjeev Sachdeva, who works with the disabled and is a wheelchair-user himself.

Source: Bingo! Barrier-free way for the visually impaired, The Hindustan Times, 4th Dec05

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Delhi University: Insensitive to the disabled

Colleges in Delhi University seem insensitive towards the needs of disabled students. Despite receiving regular grants from the University Grants Commission to make their buildings disabled-friendly, not even a single building in the whole university has infrastructure commiserative to the needs of the physically disabled.

Delhi University's Dean of planning, Mr Vijay Varma, stated that there is a provision for any college that wants to make their buildings disabled friendly to be given a grant of Rs. 2 lakh for the construction. He added that most colleges were not aware of the provision and so did not make a use of it.

The application form for the grant is available on the UGC website. The apathy towards the issue is apparent from the fact that most colleges on campus have no ramps for the disabled students. The principal of Hansraj College said that he was not aware of any such grant.

A senior official added that the university did not utilize the funds sent for the upkeep of the physically challenged and sent back almost half of it every time. However, the administration of Hansraj has decided to utilize some money for the disabled students. They have approved construction of ramps so that wheel chairs can be rolled in easily, at the PG women's hostel and Jubliee hostel.

The ground floor will be made disabled-friendly by dedicating two rooms and large bathrooms to disabled students. They have sent a proposal to the ministry of social justice and empowerment in this regard.

Source: Campus insensitive towards disabled, The Statesman, New Delhi, 4th Dec 05

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The president urged the 3% reservation for the disabled to be utilized

President APJ Abdul Kalam suggested appointment of a special officer in all states to ensure filling the 3% jobs reserved for people with disabilities. He also recommended studying the feasibility of providing reservation for the mentally challenge

d. He suggested that every State Government should nominate a project director or a full time commissioner who would be responsible for filling up the 3% reserved jobs by suitable special ability candidates and this would be done under the supervision of an overall coordinator in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

He said that teachers, educational institutions, employers and the societal organizations should become sensitive to the strengths of people with special abilities. He said that they should provide such people with an opportunity to lead a normal life not through sympathy but empowerment.

He appreciated a company, 'Sakthi Masala' from Tamil Nadu, for 32% of their employees being physically challenged and also initiating action for rehabilitating the mentally challenged people. He said that other private sector companies and government establishments should emulate such models.

Source: Fill 3% posts reserved for disabled, Kalam tells states, Indian Express, Chennai, 4th Dec05

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Silent artists spoke through their art!

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words and gives voice to vibrant and creative splashes in bright oils and colorful collages. 30 physically challenged artists got their work together under one roof and it sure led to a riot of colours! This exhibition was held on a warm afternoon and it was devoid of the usual art fraternity 'socialites'.

Renuka Chaudhary, the Tourism Minister, lent her support to the cause and said that they were not there for charity but to respect the disabled. She commended the efforts of the disabled for sharing their wealth and expressed that their handicap was not their weakness as it could be harnessed in creative ways.

Source: Silence is golden. The Times of India New Delhi, 6th December 2005.

ICSE: An inclusive educational system

The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination has decided that from 2006 onwards the physically and visually disabled children in ICSE affiliated schools will be allowed to write their board examinations for class X and XII with the help of computers and Braille Key-boards.

All welcomed the new decision and the Principal of Shri Ram School expressed her happiness and said that the move would help many students in special learning departments and students with learning disorders as they work better when working on the computer.

Close to 1,500 schools across the country, including Doon and Welham's are affiliated to the ICSE. Rita Wilson, deputy Secretary of the CISCE, said that the idea was to allow disabled students to write their examinations independently like other children as being able to write independently would infuse great amount of confidence in the students.

For visually challenged students, Braille keyboards will be provided. She also said that at present the visually impaired students used a needle to inscribe their responses on paper, which takes a lot of time.

Source: New exam tools for special children. Rajasthan Patrika, Jaipur, 1st December 2005.

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