Disability News India (DNI)
Disability News India (DNI), is a disability News service dedicated to providing a quality up-to-date information to the Indian Disability. DNI's news section is updated two times a week, though we also add breaking stories as and when they occur.
Disability News India – April 2011 Issue
- Persons with disability to be trained in marketing
- Only 3 disabled–friendly parks in Bangalore
- Relief for disabled PG medical students
- First–ever RTI book in braille launched for blind people
- HC backs e–ticketing facility for disabled people
- Red Fort won the National Tourism Award for the 'Best Maintained & Disabled Friendly Monument'
- Disabled man tours country on tricycle
- State to raise aid for disabled people
Persons with disability to be trained in marketing
Apr 06: Vidya Sagar, an organisation working with children with cerebral palsy
and other neurological disabilities, has proposed to train persons with
disability to sell their products in the mainstream market.
This is an effort to provide adults with disability an opportunity to
eke out a living without looking for charity, according to Rajul
Padmanabhan, Director. "We are not focusing on our alumni alone. We
would like to be a catalyst for all persons with disability," she said
recently.
At present, the students and alumni receive training in making products
of their choice. Some make cloth files, paper cups, and pickles. Most of
them are sold through in–house exhibitions.
"Next year, we are moving from sheltered workshop and are planning to
market the products to everyone. We are going to have designers to
upgrade and give another dimension to product design," Ms. Rajul says.
Currently the organisation's Economic Education Centre trains the
students to develop products. The products they make are sold through
exhibitions organised by Vidya Sagar.
With the aim of making them independent, the organisation will offer
short–term courses on creating products. There will be a product
designer, who will give inputs and suggestions and also help them
develop a marketing strategy. This would help the young adults to seek
out unusual employment opportunities, says Vidya Sagar chairperson Usha
Ramakrishnan. Vidya Sagar is also launching leisure activities for its
alumni and students, says Sudha Ramamurthy, Deputy Director.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
Only 3 disabled–friendly parks in Bangalore
Bangalore, Apr 04: Despite the Garden City tag, Bangalore still has a long way to go to make itself accessible to disabled people. Of nearly 710 parks in Bangalore, only three? Coles Park, MN Krishna Park in Basavangudi and Gayatri Devi Park in Rajajinagar? are wheelchair–friendly or 'inclusive'.
Kavita Krishnamoorthy, founder of Kilikili, a trust that works for inclusive play spaces, said, "An inclusive park is accessible to everyone and includes both disabled and well as abled children, and the equipment can be used by both."
Apart from the ramp at the gate and pathways for a wheel chair, an inclusive park will also include a safe swing set or a family swing that can seat both the child and adult, wheel chair merry–go–rounds, a basket ball court with hoops at two level so children in wheel chairs can also play.
"These can be used by all children," said Kavita.
"They just come with a few modifications so that children with a disability can also be included."
The remodeling of the Coles Park cost about Rs6.5 lakh and nearly Rs5 lakh came from the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) alone. "The park was modified after consultations with the children, special educators, and occupation therapists," she said, adding that K Jayaraj, former commissioner of the BBMP, sanctioned two more such parks in the south and west zones of the BBMP (Rajajinagar and Basavangudi).
In Kavita's opinion, modifying existing parks to make it inclusive may cost the BBMP slightly more than the already allocated Rs4 lakh for renovation of play spaces.
"Every three to four years, about Rs4 lakh is allocated for renovation of play spaces. By using this money creatively, in consultation with groups working with disabled children, all the parks in the city can be made disabled–friendly," she said.
Nevertheless, proposals to make at least another fourinclusive play spaces at Jayanagar, Whitefield and Koramangala I Block and Jeevanbhimanagar are with the BBMP for the last two–and–half years.
"The last year has been slow despite repeated efforts to complete these projects," said Kavita.
"The original site for such a park in Jayanagar was taken over for the Metro. Though we proposed a number of other sites over the last two years, nothing has come out of it."
With regard to the Koramangala park, she said that even though nearly 50% of the work has been completed, the remaining work has been at a stand–still for some time now. The BBMP has cited monetary crunches.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
Relief for disabled PG medical students
Apr 02: Two physically disabled students, who have topped the common entrance
test (CET) and completed their under graduate course in medical and
dental, and wanted to pursue post graduate courses, got a major relief
from the Bombay high court on Friday, the authorities have been directed
by the court to consider their application for non clinical and para
clinical courses, under the physically disabled category, on the basis
of their performance in the CET.
The petitioners Sachin Ganpat Makne, 25 and Dr Abhijeet Anil Bhavsar, 25,
were disqualified by the authorities on the grounds that the duo were
over 70 % physically disabled and thus they could not be eligible for
post graduate courses like dentistry and medicine which includes surgery.
The non–eligibility, was as per rule 9 (1) (a) under section 33 of the
Indian Medical Council Act.
Appearing for the petitioners advocate Vijay Thorat and Pooja Thorat,
argued before the division bench, "What is to be seen is that whether
they are able to function and not their disability. The issue raised is
not only limited to the present petitioners but the medical council has
to consider the functional capacity before deciding the eligibility".
The bench initially was apprehensive about the allowing of the
petitioners to be considered. It thus asked the petitioners to walk in
court. After being satisfied, the court admitted their petitions and
directed the authorities to consider their pleas.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
First–ever RTI book in braille launched for blind people
Apr 01: To observe the 12th death anniversary of Jagdish Patel, founder of the Blind People's Association (BPA), the Gujarati version of Right to Information Act in Braille was launched on Thursday. This is the first time such a book has been brought out in Braille so that visually challenged people can learn about their rights.
Speaking to DNA, director of BPA, Bhushan Punani, said, "The deputy secretary of Gujarat Information Commission, K S Diwan wanted the RTI Act to be translated into Gujarati and Braille for blind people." He added that the book will give an opportunity to the blind to access information on rights. This step would empower them and make them self–reliant, he said.
Organised by Blind Dreams, BPA and Lions Club of Vastrapur, the event witnessed a blood donation camp and distribution of foodgrains. The PRO of BPA, Shelly Bapna said the blood camp received good response and 50 units of blood were collected. The book was launched by Sanjay Nandan, commissioner (disability) and Diwan was present on the occasion.
Jagdish Patel, the blind legend, dedicated his entire life for blind people's rehabilitation, education, training and employment. The name and fame of BPA– is all due to Patel's efforts. He was awarded 'Padma Shri' by the President of India in 1991 and the international community awarded him Golden Award.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
HC backs e–ticketing facility for disabled people
New Delhi: Apr 01: Supporting the idea of e–ticketing facility for disabled people, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the
Railways and the central government on a PIL demanding web reservation
for them at concessional rates.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the authorities must
first display the sensitivity and that the technical requirements could
be taken care of subsequently.
Admitting a PIL filed by advocate Pankaj Sinha, a visually challenged
lawyer, the Bench directed the counsel for the Railways and Additional
Solicitor General A S Chandhiok, appearing for the central government,
to explain why facility was denied to physically challenged people.
The Bench dismissed the argument of the Railways counsel that the
physically challenged were not given the facility of e–ticketing because
of concessions they availed and that their documents regarding the
disability were to be verified first.
"How can you place it as a justification? They can always be asked to
show documents before they start or during travel," the Bench observed.
The court will now hear the matter on May 18.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
Red Fort won the National Tourism Award for the 'Best Maintained & Disabled Friendly Monument'
Mar 31: The World Heritage Site of Red Fort has won the National Tourism Award
for the 'Best Maintained & Disabled Friendly Monument'. Lok Sabha
speaker Meira Kumar, union tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahai and actor
Priyanka Chopra presented the award in a ceremony held in the Capital on
Monday.
KK Muhammed, superintending archaeologist (Delhi circle) and Harbir
Singh, ASI's director (horticulture) received the award on behalf of the
organisation.
The Red Fort has ramps all across for easy accessibility by physically
disabled people.
After carrying out the audit of the infrastructure around two years ago,
Swayam – an NGO working in the field of disability, suggested
interventions.
"We had suggested and ensured that the ramps are built at the right
gradient," said Abha Negi, director, Swayam.
Muhammed said, "We are going to further upgrade other facilities at the
Red Fort, including new toilet blocks, which too would be disabled–
friendly, and revised visitor circulation plan."
The award should come as a big boost to the World Heritage Site, which
had seen a sharp decline in the number of visitors due to various
reasons.
One of the major reasons was lack of parking space near the monument.
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
Disabled man tours country on tricycle
BHUBANESWAR, Mar 29: Kuldeep Singh, a 45–year–old bachelor from Punjab is a burning example of grit and determination in the face of adversity. Singh, with polio, did not let his disability come in the way of his wish: Touring the country on a tricycle. After covering around 6,110 km, touching several states, he reached here last week. With the aim of spreading the message of peace among the masses, Singh had set off for his nation–wide journey from his village Badwalcant in Ludhiana district on December 1, 2010. "Apart from conveying the message of peace and harmony, I appealed to the state governments to hike the allowance of disabled people," said Singh, who teaches English at a school in his village. When he was asked what inspired him to undertake the expedition, Singh said, "Though I am with physical disability, I am adventurous by nature. So, once I'd made up my mind to travel across the country, nothing could stop me." Singh trekked nearly 100 km every day. "I just avoided cycling at night. I would take shelter at gurudwaras and other places," said Singh, who completed his graduation in accountancy in 1989. During his journey, Singh met up with top officials in different states and apprised them of his expedition. "I also visited a number of schools and interacted with the students. I have the target of travelling 12,338 km in the country before winding it up at my village," Singh said.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
State to raise aid for disabled people
RANCHI, Mar 28: The state government has decided to increase the monthly
financial assistance to disabled people.
Making this announcement at an awareness programme, state social welfare
minister Bimla Pradhan said, "The government has decided to increase the
monthly assistance for disabled people. The amount will be decided by the
cabinet."
The awareness programme was organized by the district welfare department
is association with Birsa Viklang Utthan Evam Kalyan Samiti.
Sources in the social welfare department said there was a demand from
different sections to increase the assistance from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000.
"In other states, the amount varies between Rs 800 to Rs 1000. We expect
that people with disabilities in Jharkhand will also get a similar
amount," said a source.
The minister also assured that government will ensure three per cent
reservation to the physically challenged. "The government is aware of
the need of reservation to people with disabilities and I will
take up the matter in the cabinet," she added.
Apart from informing the participants and their guardians about the
rights of people with various kinds of disability which include loss of
vision, poor visibility, deaf , mentally and physically
disabled people, they also issued disability certificate on the spot.
Over 600 disabled people participated in the awareness programme
and more than 300 of them applied for certificates. "As many as sixty
applicants had come with all the documents and they were issued
certificates on the spot. Rest of them were given suggestions or
referred to doctors from where they can get themselves examined before
getting a certificate from the department," said Jha.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Posted by Aqeel Qureshi
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