From the States

Mobility in railway stations

An integrated mobility system for the physically disabled people and the elderly was demonstrated to railway officials at the Chennai Central Station.

The manufacturers of the system's key components, Callidai Motor Works, have also given the authorities an undertaking that they would provide the equipment free of cost with the help of sponsors.

For Mumbai–based architect and senior citizen C.S.K. Raj, the demonstration was the culmination of a long exchange of letters and battle of wills with the officialdom. He began corresponding a few years ago with the then Railway Minister Nitish Kumar to convince him of the merits of his proposed 'Reach Out System' to cross foot over bridges and a new wheelchair system to help persons from their vehicles to their compartments. Except Chennai Central, where all platforms can be reached easily by a newly-introduced vehicle for transporting those who need assistance with mobility, most stations require negotiating foot over bridges to reach other platforms.

This space can be made accessible to the physically disabled people by providing lifts that can move passengers across platforms. The motorised wheelchair is the key feature in the provision of mobility. The chair can assist users till the train compartment and the seat mechanically lifted to the level of the compartment entry.

Finally, Mr. C.S.K. Raj received a letter last week from Southern Railway asking for a demonstration.

Following the demonstration, a joint meeting with the officials concerned was held at the office of the stationmaster and Bhargav Sundaram, proprietor, Callidai Motor Works, asked for a letter detailing the proposal.

Mr. Sundaram has undertaken to produce sufficient numbers of the system for stations in the country, fund the entire cost including that of drivers, maintenance and other incidental or recurring costs through sponsors and make the service available for embarkation and disembarkation free of cost. The response of the railways is being awaited, Mr. C.S.K. Raj said.

Source: Integrated mobility system for disabled in railway stations. The Hindu, July 10, 2007.

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Less than 1 percent PWDs employed in Assam colleges

The Disability Act, 1995, which demands three percent reservation in third and fourth grade posts in the Government office and institutions for disabled persons, appears to be a mockery in Assam, since only 38 physically challenged persons are working among 3,859 employees of the above categories in as many as 197 colleges and two universities in the State.

This was stated by the Higher Education Department, in response to an appeal by Ajay Kumar Sarma, a disabled youth and president of the all Assam Disabled Development Union, under the Rights to Information Act.

According to the information revealed by the department concerned, the total strength of the 4th grade staff in two universities and 197 colleges is 2,170, and of them only 26 are disabled persons. Similarly, there are only 12 disabled person working in the 3rd grade posts among the total strength of 1, 689 in those educational institutions.

This means that disabled persons working in the 3rd and 4th grade posts in those educational institutions in the State comprise less than one per cent, although the statistics in this regard given by the Higher Education did not furnish the position of the backlog posts lying vacant in the department, he said.

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The ‘Locate and provide’ mission

Ambernath Panchayat Samiti seems to be intent on educating handicapped students of the Taluka. The Samiti is providing them combined education with normal students through ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ (The Education for all Movement). “The main aim behind the mission is to education all the deserving students and to bring them on par with the normal students,” informed K. D. Sonawane, Education Officer of the Panchayat Samiti.

In order to achieve the goal, a survey was conducted to find handicapped students in the Taluka. The survey was started from year 2004 and till date total 3,998 disabled students were located. Subsequent to this, the Samiti conducted health fitness checking drive for all the students. The health checking took place at Thane Civil hospital. The Panchayat Samiti contains 114 schools in the Taluka jurisdiction. “So far the Samiti had spent approximately Rs. 11 Lacs to provide the students every single facility,” informed Sonawane. He added that to make their lives trouble-free, ramps and commode toilets are constructed in all the Samiti schools. Along with this, every single teacher of the Samiti schools is well instructed about the task of the combined education.

Source: ‘Combined Education’ for Ambernath handicapped, Free Press Journal, Daily Mumbai, 8 July 2007.

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Bombay HC questions Railways

The Bombay high court issued notices to Central and Western Railways for failing to make stations its failure to make railway stations disabled friendly.

Hearing a petition filed by India Centre for Human Rights and Law to make urban transport in the city accessible to disabled people as provided under the law, a division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice Ranjana Desai asked the railways as well as the the Union and state governments to file replies.

"Platforms would have to allow special facilities to allow disabled persons to board trains without any problem," said the judges.

Under the Persons with Disability Act, there is a special "non-discrimination" clause that makes it mandatory for the government and other agencies to make public spaces and transport facilities disabled friendly. The Act proposes to make rail compartments, toilets, aircraft and ships easily accessible to challenged persons and those using wheelchairs. The Act also asks the government to provide for auditory signals at traffic signals, engraving on the surface of zebra crossings and railway platforms and warning signals for the challenged.

According to the petitioners, despite the provisions that have been framed under the law, the implementation was far from satisfactory. At present, railway platforms are provided with auditory signals to indicate location of the special compartment for disabled persons. However, low platforms and pedestrian overbridges make railway stations generally out of bounds for physically disabled persons, especially those on wheelchairs or without an escort.

Source: HC issues notice to railways, Times of India, Mumbai, 5 July 2007.

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Disabled children still low on government priority

Over 10 years after the Persons with Disabilities Act was passed in 1995, children with disabilities continue to remain low on the priority list of the state government.

As per the 2001 Census, of the 9.68 crore population, around 15.69 lakh people from various forms of disabilities. In addition to this figure, a survey revealed that around 6.94 lakh children between the age group of 0– 14 were detected with disabilities.

Activists complain that state aid to this vulnerable group has been a pittance with help being mostly restricted to distributing glasses, hearing aids, glasses and wheel chairs. Statistics provided by the state to the high court recently added further ammo to the allegations.

What ails the system, despite the funds allocated for rehabilitation of disabled person, is the lack of a comprehensive plan to deal with children with disabilities, according to advocate Uday Warunjikar, counsel for Maharashtra Rajya Apang Karamchari Sanghatana, which had filed a PIL on the government's failure to recruit disabled persons despite the 3% reservation in state departments.

The report submitted to the HC by J N Rathod, deputy secretary, social justice department, makes for curious reading. Despite the funds being allocated for various projects to help children with disabilities the benefit is restricted to less than 1% of the intended group.

Consider this: For the 1.56 lakh visually impaired children, government aid in the form of white cane sticks and glasses has been provided to just 68 and 4,959 children respectively. Around 6,212 children have undergone eye surgery at the state's expense, leaving a substantial majority out of the state largess.

When it comes to providing rehabilitation to children and youth with disabilities, the situation is equally bleak. In 2006–07 the state made available Rs 461 lakh to 21 government institutions that benefited 1,071 people. The same year, funds were provided to NGOs who run 674 special schools and vocational training centres, which benefited 32,992 children in the 6–18 age group.

Disabled students also received scholarships of between Rs 50 and Rs 100 per month to pursue their studies, despite the fact that it is mandatory for the state to provide free education to children with special needs, according to advocate Warunjikar. The PIL and the report is scheduled to come up for hearing in the HC on June 5.

Source: Despite funds, disabled children poor. Times of India, Mumbai, 28 June 2007.

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Taking the stage on wheels

He moved across the stage fierily and dragged Sita beyond the Laxman Rekha. As strong audience of over 200 looked on enthralled, wheelchair-bound Major Barekh played the role of demon king Ravan with immaculate élan.

Barekh was one of the many children who performed in a programme celebrating abilities at Kamani Auditorium. The programme organized by dance-theatre group Ability Unlimited in association with the National Trust, comprised performance from group’s home productions - Ramayan, Bhagwad Gita and Durga.

The group employs and enables disabled people to become professional artists. Barekh a seasoned actor by now, has been disabled since birth. “I cannot imagine a life that is not replete with dance, music and art,” said he.

Being in wheelchairs and on crutches doesn’t take away the confidence of these bright kids.

Healing touch

As the performance ended, the audience fell silent waiting for the director to fill up the gap on stage between Hanuman in a wheelchair and Laxman on crutches. Guruji Pasha entered silently, almost invisibly, to tremendous applause. He knelt down to kiss the floor and then brought his performers to the forefront, almost metaphorically nudging them towards a glorious life. One would have imagined that his pioneer of Indian Therapeutic Theatre would have warranted a little more attention, demanded some more time under the spotlight. It was the power of art that took centre stage.

Guru Syed Sallauddin Pasha, is the sole force behind a revolution that has spearheaded the movement towards a dignified life for the disabled. His creative energy transcends the barriers of traditional choreography whilst remaining totally accessible and entertaining. In a country where the constant debate over ‘equal’ opportunities has turned into a sour rhetoric, Ability Unlimited seems to be a breath of fresh air. “To dismiss the disabled with a bit of mercy and few government policies is to cripple them even further. Art is the engineer I’ve used to rebuild these shattered lives. There is twice the determination and hard work, despite their disabilities. To cultivate these children through art is equivalent to giving them a new life,” said Pasha.

Imperfect artist

Art was used as a therapy in ancient India through abhinaya and kala. The sheer variety of expression and emotion and the power of performance have a beneficial microcosmic impact on the disabled that allows them to engage in self-expression. Said Pasha, “Dance and music are two are forms that produce rhythm and vibration in the human body. Can you imagine what a massive high it is for a person with disability to discover that not only can he move around but also dance, jump and sing, and that too at a professional level?”

Monica plays Surpanakha, Ravan’s sister and the infamous temptress in a scene from Ramayan. The limp in her leg curtailed her otherwise elegant Kathak movements. Eighteen and extremely beautiful, she has made up her mind to dance with Pasha’s troupe in the future. “I had never thought I could perform on stage or have a life apart from the crippled existence I was condemned too. Now I’m a professional dancer, and I cannot imagine my life any other way,” said she.

Young Manish has been playing the part of dutiful Laxman for over five years. “There was an initial hesitance and in inherent fear of being rejected. But all of that has changed. I couldn’t even raise my head amongst my friends for fear of ridicule. And now, I’m a professional performer. No one can look down on me now,” said he.

Sympathy and pity are not words that these professional artistes are familiar with. “They don’t need your pity,” was in fact the parting shot from the director of the show. There is reassurance in the fact that here is a minority that has decided to use their disability as a guiding light for others.

“What are they lacking? If a Kathakali dance in my performance can spin faster than a trained Kathak dancer, then doesn’t that make him a notch better than an ‘able’ professional?” asked Pasha.

“The main problem lies with the patron of art itself. He looks at these art forms as merely decorative functions. No one takes art therapy seriously. Initially, all disabled artists were wary of performing an aesthetic art. Under the guidance of a teacher like Guruji Pasha, even cartwheels are not a distance dream,” remarked Barekh.

Agreed Pasha, “Art is a form of expression, of freedom of release. It brings about the most remarkable changes within individuals.”

Children of a lesser god

Eva played one of Ravan’s demon queens but her lips made it a little difficult to grasp what she was saying. But two things become clear she has a boyfriend and that she wants us to come to her birthday party next week.

Dance and theater has helped hundreds like Eva to lead a normal life and weave themselves back into the social fabric. “Disability is a state of mind. This is what I try and instill in my students that once they conquer their minds, they can conquer the world,” said Pasha. As the clutter of wheelchairs made their way our, there was hope and cheer in the air.

Source: Dance away the disability. The Pioneer, Daily, New Delhi 5 July 2007.

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Status of admission in DU governed by residential facilities

Delhi University has 1,000 seats reserved for disabled students. But it has received only 284 applications for admission till date this academic session.

The reason is not hard to fathom: the university’s sole hostel for the disabled ‘Blind Hostel’ in Out-ram Lines can accommodate only 106 students. And 90 per cent of the seats are occupied even this early in the admission season.

Among the best varsities in the country it may be, but DU still has miles to go in way of providing facilities for its special students. And even Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental admits as much: “They have a difficult time because most of our colleges do not have hostels and disabled-friendly facilities.”

Though the DU reference library has a braille computer, attending college is anything but a stroll for the visually disabled students. Ram Niwas, 23, a visually handicapped MA student of Hindu College and an inmate of Blind Hostel, puts his walk to the college as a ‘a daily brush with death”. He says, “Just to get to my classes and back is scary because I have to cross the busy traffic in front of my hostel, which is quite far from the campus.” Niwas still recalls the death of two fellow visually disabled Hindu students who were run over by a Blueline bus. Niwas says he now depends on the compassion of a “chaiwalla here” to cross the road.

Jai Prakash, a Rajdhani College student, says the Blind Hostel roof leaks every monsoon and inmates do not get proper, nourishing food. “If we fall sick, only repeated pleas to the staff ensure a trip to the doctor.”

Joint Dean of Students’ Welfare S V Verma says a primary criterion for disabled students to select colleges is hostel accommodation, for “transport is always a big problem for them. But since most of our colleges do not have such facilities, many differently-abled students stay away even when offered good courses.

Even in colleges like St. Stephen’s Hindu, Miranda, Hansraj, Kirori Mal, LSR, Daulat Ram and Ramjas all these have their own hostels but the disabled have to still depend on the “goodwill” of students and the faculty to get around the premises.

Even course wise, disabled students have to conform to a set pattern as the infrastructure does not address their special needs. “Visually challenged students, for instance, do not opt for pure science subjects. Such subjects require a lot of experimentation and visual ability guides that we do not possess,” Verma says.

Dean of Colleges Shirin Rathoresays disabled women students become easy victims of abuse and harassment outside the campus. Students aside, even disabled teachers have a tough time in DU, with only 25 of 185 posts reserved for them filled at present. A university official says that despite good performances most disabled teachers are “not hired permanently because most principals see them as a liability.”

Prof. R.K Agnihotri, who heads a DU committee formed to address such issues, says though most colleges are at present inaccessible to the disabled, the “university is now looking at changing the situation.”

Source: DU unable to cater to special students. Indian Express, Daily, New Delhi, 3 July 2007.

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Early intervention for deaf children

In our country, deafness in children is often associated with not being able to speak. Hence the commonly used words “Deaf and Dumb”.

In reality, hearing impaired children do have the capability to learn to speak after birth and babble spontaneously. Subsequently, they stop babbling and do not develop speech, since they are unable to hear themselves and others.

Hearing impairment in children often remains undetected, until the child is a few years old. Since children can learn to speak only when they are very young, this delay results in a deaf child also becoming mute. Early detection of deafness and effective early treatment is vital in rehabilitation of children who are born deaf.

Deafness can be detected in children as early as a few hours after birth with modern diagnostic instruments such as an Oto-acoustic Emissions (OAE) Analyzer and ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) unit.

To facilitate early detection of deafness in children and early treatment, parents can call a local Kerala number 99612 02023. Callers will receive guidance and information on the nearest government or private centre in Kerala with these diagnostic facilites.

Sri. M. A. Baby, Honourable Minister for Education, Kerala inaugurated the “Shishu Sravana Helpline” at Thiruvananthpuram. Leading ENT Surgeon Dr. John Panicker from Thiruvananthpuram and a group of families who have benefited from early detection and treatment of deafness, attended the inauguration.

“Deaf children have a limited time window when they can acquire spoken language, says Dr. John Panicker. After 2 years of age, a deaf child’s language learning ability declines. The Sishu Sravan Helpline will guide parents suspecting deafness in children, to the nearest centre with facilities for detecting and treating childhood deafness.

The Honourable Minister thanked Idea Cellular and Cochlear Australia for helping support this educational initiative which will enable childhood deafness to be identified at an early age and give these children an opportunity to acquire spoken language and mainstream them to normal schools.

Source: Sishu Sravana Helpline launched to guide families of hearing impaired children, India Asian News Service, 30 June 2007.

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