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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 – May 2009 Issue



IGNOU to launch BA programme for deaf students

VADODARA, 24 May: They may not have the power of speech, but education would soon empower over 40 lakh hearing impaired adult students in the country. These students can now dream of attending college, graduating with degrees and jobs in their hand.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in collaboration with University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), UK will launch first of its kind Bachelor in Arts (BA) programme for hearing impaired in India.

The programme will kickstart with 40 seats from this academic year at IGNOU's Delhi campus offering full–time BA in Applied Sign Language Studies and BA honours in Applied Sign Language Studies. "We are educating these students and parents about this course across the country. The initial response has been very encouraging," said Sibaji Panda, hearing impaired scholar from UCLAN, who was in the city on Sunday to deliver lecture at Ayurvedic College.

Ishara Foundation, Mumbai–based Indian trust with one of its chapter in Vadodara working for enhancing education for the hearing impaired people in India, is also supporting the programme. The foundation is extending its full support for promoting the BA program among students in the country.

Student for the programme will have to undergo selection process after which they would be enrolled for the course. "The course will be conducted in sign language with medium of teaching being English. Classes will be conducted by trained experts from India, UK and the US," added Panda. Fifteen students will be offered scholarship with agencies from Holland and Delhi agreeing to sponsor education of hearing impaired students.

Post completion of the course, graduates will be able to take up jobs in over 700 deaf schools in the country, undertake research in sign language or work as interpreter with other schools. "We will assist students in getting jobs after completion of the course," Panda said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Disabled persons urge new Orissa govt. to fulfill poll promises

Berhampur, Orissa: Disabled persons in the state have urged the BJD government to fulfill its promises in the election manifesto of forming a state level commission to look into their demands, after winning its third consecutive term in Orissa.

The main demands of disabled people in the state include hike in disability pension from Rs 200 per month to Rs 1000 per month and appointment of a state commissioner to look after their welfare.

"BJD had promised in its election manifesto to appoint the commissioner and we urge it to expedite the work," said secretary of the Ganjam District Orthopaedical Welfare Association (GDOWA) K Ananda Rao.

Persons with Disability Act, 1995 has provided for setting up of a disability commission at the Centre and also a state–level commission. While at least 14 states have already appointed the commission, Orissa is yet to follow suit.

"We had discussed our demands with the government. Some of disabled persons had even gheraoed the state assembly to press for their demands," he said.

"Fortunately now the new government is formed under the same Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and we hope he will understand our sentiments and fulfill the demands on a priority basis," Rao said.

Source: http://www.hindu.com

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ESG pledges ramps for disabled people

PANAJI, 23 May: The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) has assured that the Marquinez Palace and Inox multiplex will be made disabled–friendly, said Avelino de Sa, president of the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG), on Friday.

Addressing a press conference, de Sa informed that DRAG has managed to get the ESG to provide access for disabled people and senior citizens at the Marquinez Palace on a temporary basis.

The Marquinez Palace and Inox mulitplex were not accessible to disabled people as mandated under Section 44 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 and Article 9 of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, de Sa said.

"The ESG had promised to provide access for disabled persons at the Marquinez Palace and Inox multiplex by March 31. When they did not comply even by April 30, DRAG filed a contempt petition before the disability commissioner and met the chief secretary Hauzel Haukhum on the issue," the DRAG president said.

" DRAG is also working to get a lift installed at the venue, further we are asking that the Inox multiplex be made disabled friendly at the earliest," de Sa said.

DRAG has also written to the secretary (legislature), and expressed its surprise that the meetings of the ad–hoc committees are being held at places which are not accessible to disabled people and senior citizens.

Meanwhile, DRAG also informed that the Reserve Bank of India has issued a notification directing all scheduled commercial banks to make their branches and ATM machines easily accessible for disabled people.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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11 disabled kids score over 90% in CBSE

NEW DELHI, 22 May: Eleven disabled students were among 15,839 children who secured above 90 per cent in class 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.

According to CBSE spokesperson Rama Sharma, a total of 1,034 students with disability – 225 blind, 35 deaf, 564 physically disabled, 12 spastic children and 225 students with dyslexia – appeared for the class 12 exams this year.

"Of these, 916 children passed and 11 – eight boys and three girls – scored above 90 per cent," Sharma said.

Of the eleven special children who scored over 90 per cent, seven were from Chennai where 185 students with disability had taken the exams. Two children were from the capital where the highest number – 485 disabled kids – had appeared for the exams. The remaining two are from Allahabad and Panchkula respectively.

The CBSE Class 12 board exam results were declared for the Delhi, Guwahati and Allahabad zones at 10 a.m. Friday. For the Ajmer, Chennai and Panchkula regions, the results were declared on Wednesday.

For the first time this year, the CBSE had designated educators to answer the queries of disabled students who were taking the class 10 and 12 board exams.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Disability no bar for pursuing education

PUDUCHERRY, 19 May 2009: Where there is a will, there is always a way. K Arvind (18) of Neyveli, muscular dystrophy, knows it better than anyone else. But that does not stand in his way to build a bright future for himself.

On Monday, he wrote his first theory examination for BSc Computer Application course at the Stella Maris High School here. He is the only physically disabled person among the 780 students writing the exams.

Aravind is pursuing the course from Alagappa University through the distance mode. His parents, R Kumar, a chief technician at the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, and Alli are accompanying him to Puducherry and would stay there for five days to give him the necessary encouragement. Also, Arvind is utilising the services of a scribe, Banuprakash, to write the examinations.

According to Arvind's parents, he was a normal child till the age of 10. When a change in his walking pattern came to their notice, he was referred to the Child Trust Hospital at Nugambakkam and diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.

The disease made Arvind wholly dependent on his parents. But his intellectual development did not suffer. He studied well in school and secured 83 per cent marks in Class X examinations and 78 per cent in Class XII exams. "As he is interested in web designing, I enrolled him at a multimedia centre in Puducherry almost a year ago," said Kumar.

The examinations would go on till June 2, immediately followed by the practical ones. Besides students from Cuddalore, Tindivanam, Neyveli, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram and Puducherry, four from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are attending the exams, said Muralidharan, exam co–ordinator.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Relief for teen seeking disability certificate

Mumbai, 18 May: After a teenager moved the Bombay High Court last year seeking a disability certificate, the Disability Commissioner has directed Sion Hospital to conduct a medical examination to ascertain the percentage of disability and then issue the certificate. Petitioner Rahul Girredy was born in 1990 with deep cleft palate and bilateral lip.

Girredy had to undergo six surgeries at different stages while growing up. As a result of the surgical procedures, he developed inherent deformity and a speech disability leading to limitations in his capacity. Girredy had moved Commissioner of Disabilities in August 2008 for directing the authorities concerned to provide him with a disability certificate.

However, the Disability Commissioner, through a letter dated September 9, 2008, directed Girredy to approach the concerned medical officer with the required medical certificate for obtaining the disability certificate.

His father accordingly wrote to the Director and Chief Medical Officer of Sion hospital requesting to issue the disability certificate. Since there was no progress, Girredy had moved the HC last year.

The papers issued by the head of ENT of Grant Medical college and J J hospital implicitly stated that the petitioner is suffering from a disability due to inherent deformity and the disability in communication is of 35 percent.

Girredy in his plea stated that due to his disability, he cannot properly perform preliminary functions like breathing, eating, consumption of liquids and speech. He has now sought directions for availing the certificate and also a temporary certificate till the time the petition is pending.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

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Visually impaired take PG exams

KANPUR, 18 May: Although appearing in MA exams isn't a tough nut to crack for the most experienced, studious and normal individuals. But, unlike others, for Antu Singh Yadav and Amreesh Verma it may have been a shade more difficult because they both were disabled people.

As the private annual examinations of Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University (CSMU) commenced from May 18, the two visually impaired students appeared in the MA Hindi subject at Jagdamba Har Sahai Degree College, on Monday. The two who prepared for the exam with the help of someone who read the material aloud to them were seen dictating the answers to a writer.

Even as both the examinees visual disability, nevertheless, the two prepared for the exam and completed it with the help of a solver. His zest for life knows no bound for the Nehru Nagar resident, Antu Singh Yadav who recently appeared for the coveted PCS exam. "I have completed my graduation from Delhi University and scored successfully 75 per cent in Class XII from CBSE board. I aspire to stand independently and do something for my family," said a confident Antu with his head held high and a smile of satisfaction.

Amreesh Verma, the 28–year–old, wishes to be a teacher and was appearing for MA Hindi paper. Amreesh cannot drive, write or read by himself, but there was no stopping him when it came to studies and gaining knowledge.

Both the confident youths do not think they lack anything and believe they can be as or even more competent than many others.

Principal of the college RC Sharma too was happy on seeing the passion to learn and said, "Such youths are living examples and inspiration for others, who despite having everything lose hope and give up studies at the smallest pretext."

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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'Disabled persons need special care'

Srinagar, May 18: Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Persons with Disabilities organised a training programme for rehabilitation professionals, village–level workers and other functionaries in government and non–government sector at Bemina on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Director CRC, Dr Riyaz Ahmad Untoo said children born with disabilities are either taken as liabilities by their parents or forced to beg.

"This notion has to be changed. Persons with disabilities need care from their parents and teachers," said Untoo. He said that CRC was established to serve as resource centre for rehabilitation and special education of persons with disabilities, and undertake public awareness programmes.

Presently over 100 students have been rehabilitated at CRC, he said, adding that the centre intends to start district level preliminary centres also.

Director Department of Social Welfare, Hilal Ahmad Parray was the chief guest on the occasion. "We have acts governing the rights of disabled people. Everyone should play his role in shaping the personality of disabled persons," he said. He said that his department has recently increased incentives of disabled from Rs 300 to Rs 400. "We have to realize the sentiments of disabled and mentally intellectual people," Parray said.

The programme organised in collaboration with NIVH Dehradun will conclude on May 22.

Source: http://www.risingkashmir.com

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Model EVMs on display for disabled people

CHENNAI, 12 May 2009: A model EVM is on display for disabled voters at Vidya Sagar to get a feel of the machines that will help them exercise their franchise, said Meenakshi B of Vidya Sagar, an organisation that works with disabled people.

The EVM will be on display until Tuesday evening at Vidya Sagar premises in Kotturpuram. Apart from EVMs with Braille stickers and the model ballot sheets in Braiile, the disabled are entitled to ramps to enable easy access to the polling booths and priority queuing. The sheets, however, are only in English and those who cannot read will still have to take a companion along to vote as they have in previous elections. Each booth will have one Braille sheet.

Disability rights groups in the state have been urging people to go out and vote in this election, the first one in which an effort is being made to include the disabled. They have also made a 20–second film which is being screend in 261 theatres across the country, urging the disabled to go out and vote. Messages are also being aired on All–India Radio and Doordarshan.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Disabled voters in India applaud more accessible election

NEW DELHI: 9 May: Disabled voters in India have welcomed initiatives in the world's largest democracy that allowed them easier access to voting booths for the first time.

More than 714 million people are eligible to vote in five stages of a month–long election that ends on Wednesday. But for the estimated 60 to 70 million disabled people in India, exercising their right to vote is now less of an ordeal.

"This is the first general election in the history of independent India that is truly disabled–friendly," said Javed Abidi, a disability rights activist.

Abidi, who is wheelchair user, said millions of ramps were constructed at polling booths across India for easy access from a wheelchair, while Braille markings on electronic voting machines aided blind people.

"This is a huge paradigm shift from the late 90s when the election officials would not even allow a blind person a companion of their choice to accompany them while voting," he said. But not all disabled voters were satisfied. Some complained the ramps were too steep to manoeuvre a wheelchair.

A visually impaired retired government official said the electronic voting machine in his constituency did not have Braille numbering.

"I was asked by the poll officials to take my wife's help in casting my vote," said Prasanna Kumar Pincha who voted in New Delhi.

"Why should I compromise my fundamental right to vote with dignity and in secrecy?"

Abidi, part of a countrywide network of lawyers and advocacy groups campaigning for rights of disabled people, admits some violations did occur –– but that he planned to take them up with the election commission once the polls were over.

Often overlooked by politicians focusing on religion or caste–based vote banks, the disabled have been marginalised for decades and forced to live in poverty without access to basic services.

This time around, rights groups have praised major political parties for mentioning disability in their election manifestos.

"The politicians have finally started looking at the disabled people as a constituency," Abidi said.

"Next election I hope to find disability being mentioned in their speeches and sign language interpreters at some rallies."

Source: http://in.reuters.com

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A ray of hope for disabled kids

LUDHIANA, 6 May: Like any other normal child, 1,000 students with disabilities across the state would now be able to stand on their own feet, thanks to a programme started by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

According to information, nearly 1,000 children would undergo surgery under a programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which is called Inclusive Education For Disabled People. The department is providing a free of cost treatment for these students, who have already been identified. And for this, the department is taking the services of three hospitals in the city. The facility would be a boon for the students, who find it difficult to bear the expenses of surgery.

Sources revealed that nearly 1,000 students with disabilities can now see a ray of hope in this scheme. These students would undergo surgery on May 16.

Talking about it, a senior official informed that, here is a special programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which is called the Inclusive Education For Disabled People, under which, we have identified some students who need our help. Under this programme, we take the services of doctor. In the state, there are 1,000 children for whom surgery is the only ray of hope, but they are not financially well–off to bear the expenses of surgery, so we are providing them the treatment free of cost.

In the city, SSA would take the services of Christian Medical College and Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur hospital and Bharat Vikas Parishad, an NGO, which organises ortho–surgeries every Sunday.

Sources revealed under the programme, the resource person in all the blocks of the district, checks health of the students and sends the report to the department. And, then during health assessment camps, a team of doctors assesses whether a student needs artificial limbs or requires surgery. Last year, 1,839 students were examined in the district by a team of four doctors, experts in different fields.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Speech–impaired youth to get disability certificate

MUMBAI, 5 May: Smile Pinky may have won hearts around the globe in this year's Oscars but Rahul Girreddy, a 19–year–old with a deep cleft lip, finally has a reason to smile too. The Commissionerate for Persons with Disabilities in Pune has instructed that a disability certificate be issued to him after an examination to assess his speech impairment as a form of physical disability.

In 2000, Sion hospital officials declared that he was disabled person as his speech was not intelligible.

However in 2008, when Girreddy sought a disability certificate, which would ensure him a job, he was denied it. His court petition said that being denied a certificate amounted to being deprived of rights under the Persons with Disabilities Act.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Now, a mouse for people with disabilities

PUNE, 5 May: Students of the D Y Patil Institute of Engineering and Technology (DYPIET) in Pimpri have developed an apparatus that enables a physically disabled person to operate a computer.

The equipment was developed under a project titled Development of real time process control system using head–operated mouse for physically disabled persons'. The device enables a person with no hands to operate a computer mouse with the help of his tongue.

"The project bagged the first prize at the national–level working model contest IET–Karmaveer Expo–09' organised by the department of electrical engineering in association with IET (UK) on March 6 and 7. The prize consist of a trophy and Rs 50,000," said Arun Sonar, assistant professor, instrumentation department at the DYPIET.

"If a person loses their arms in a mishap, then this apparatus will enable them to operate the computer and help him earn a living," he added.

"We first tried to use tactile sensors to develop a system for the handicapped people, but this turned out to be too costly. If we had used speech recognition system then there could have been problems due to differences in accent and tone. So we decided to develop this system, which detects the movement of tongue to control the mouse. A person can also type using Microsoft Word as there is a software available for it," Sonar said.

Elaborating on the device, one of the team members Amey Dhavalikar said, there are two switches on both sides of the mouth to detect the movement of tongue and operate the mouse. "The cost of the device is Rs 500. We can attach this device to any computer that has Plug–n–Play facility," he explained.

Students have been working on the project for two years and received a grant of Rs 3 lakh from the University of Pune.

Sonar and his six–member student team comprising final year students Amey Dhavalikar, Sourav Ghube and Chaitanya Pandit and second year students Sujay Kadam, Pandurang Londhe and Chintan Joshi worked on the project.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Physically disabled persons to contest poll

Manali: Physically disabled persons should be given special reservation to contest elections, right from the Panchayat to the Lok Sabha. This was stated by KK Dikshit, president of Rashtriya Viklang Party today. He said that there are more than 10 crore physically disabled persons in the country, who should be represented through their physically disabled persons representatives.

He added that while there is provision for three per cent reservation to physically disabled persons in jobs, but only .5 per cent of these persons have benefitted.

Source: http://www.expressindia.com

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Polls a disappointment for people with disabilities

Mumbai, 4 May: For Ponnamani Ramaswamy, 86, election day turned out to be a huge disappointment. The octogenarian had arranged a car to take her to the polling booth in Mulund (West). Unfortunately however, she could not cast her vote. Even though her allotted room was on the ground floor, there were five–odd steps leading to it. "I can longer walk without support and am incapable of climbing stairs. I don't have a wheelchair. The school did not have a ramp," rued Ramaswamy.

As per the 11th Five Year Plan, about 5–6% of Indians are disabled people. And yet, addressing their needs has never been on the politicians' or the government's to–do list. "If this is what happened despite Supreme Court's instructions to make the polls disabled–friendly, can you imagine how difficult day–to–day life is for physically disabled persons?" asked Sayed Patel, a visually impaired 30–year–old who travels everyday from Andheri to CST.

Patel says he feels sorry for the wheelchair bound. "The most difficult area for a wheelchair user person to access is the toilet," added a 32–year–old friend of Patel's, who lost his legs in an accident.

"There is an acute lack of sensitivity when it comes to physically disabled or special persons. Airports, for instance, have creaking wheelchairs. Another problem is the lack of ambi–lifts that are used to shift the wheelchair–bound passengers into the flight. Railways are completely inaccessible. Have you ever seen a wheelchair user on a train?" he asked.

"There are various kinds of disabilities. The key is the identify the individual need and support them accordingly," said Prof R Rangasayee, director, Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped.

It is not just physically disabled people who faced problems. "While the aged or those with heart ailments may have difficulties climbing stairs, even pregnant woman may not be able to move all that much," he said.

Rangasayee offers a solution. "The electoral list should have details of persons with disability in that area. This will make it possible for the officers to plan around the needs of disabled persons," he suggests.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com

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Polling booths were unsuitable for us, say disabled people

May 03: Polling booth at Kansai High School in Ambernath (E) had unusable ramps for the physically disabled persons despite Supreme Court's guidelines for the election commission that every booth must have ramps to facilitate physically disabled voters.

The temporary ramp created at the polling booth was inconvenient for all
Instead of ramps, wooden planks had been placed near the booths that made walking impossible even for normal persons. Nirmala Ganesh (65) who had fractured her left ankle was lifted by volunteers and taken to the booth to help her cast her vote. Another voter Janu Bhoir (73) also had to be lifted by volunteers and helped to cast his vote at the booth after climbing a steep fight of stairs.

"The steep ramp at this booth was of no use. The election commission must spend money on providing facilities to voters like us rather then spending on voters' awareness advertisements," said senior citizen Shakuntala Bhakre (73) who is a regular at every election and makes it a point to cast her vote.

Shankar Salve, a physically disabled activist who runs Apang Vikas Manch said that he found many private schools and college buildings that had made ramps that were unsuitable for even normal people. "Ideally, the ramp must be wide enough and not too steep so that a physically disabled person can carry his / her wheel chair to booth."

"Since making proper ramps is a SC guideline we had already ordered our subordinates to implement it. If somebody has failed to do that we will take action against him," promised Dilip Halde, returning officer–in–charge of 24–Kalyan Loksabha Constituency.

Source: http://www.mumbaipluses.com

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Woman with disabilities advocacy leads to more accessibility in New Delhi's Central Park

New Delhi, 3 May: Thanks to a small request from a woman with disabilities and a prompt response by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) authorities, wheelchair users in the Capital can now visit the sprawling Central Park of Connaught Place without any inconvenience and enjoy its greenery and fountains like any other visitor.

Construction of a dozen-odd ramps like this one here along the periphery of the Central Park in Connaught Place has opened up new vistas for wheelchair users in New Delhi.
Neeru Gautam, a young wheelchair user, rang up the NDMC a week ago with a request to make Connaught Place and its Central Park more accessible for people with disabilities.

"Being a woman with disabilities, I found it difficult to come from my home in West Patel Nagar to Connaught Place to enjoy an outing in the Central Park. I phoned up NDMC Junior Engineer Satbir Singh and Executive Engineer Nimesh, who promptly responded to my request. I am happy that the official machinery reacted positively and 14 ramps have been built on the inner circle including the Central Park," said Ms. Gautam enjoying her outing in the Central Park on Saturday evening.

Recalling that she earlier encountered a lot of obstacles and barriers while coming to Connaught Place, Ms. Gautam said that more than the construction of ramps she is happy that the NDMC officials took immediate action on her phone call.

"I also want to thank the Delhi Metro railway and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. While entering the Shadipur metro rail station we used to face traffic problems. So the Delhi Metro has now allowed a backdoor entrance for physically disabled persons like me. And the MCD has repaired roads so that we can move around in our wheelchairs smoothly," she said. Sanjeev Sachdeva of non–government organisation Sanjeevani India said although Neeru is working with him, she only requested the NDMC as a citizen.

"Now disabled persons can shop, enjoy the fountain, hum songs or study at the coaching centre through word of mouth publicity. We are proud to say that Dilli Hamari Shaan Hai. But we want accessible public conveniences in the Central Park and other places in Connaught Place. Physically disabled people also face parking problems here. We have requested the officials to make white marking in the parking area so that motorists or scooterists don't park their vehicles," said Mr. Sachdeva, who is a wheelchair user and was trained in accessibility options in Bangkok at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia and the Pacific. Mr. Sachdeva has also appealed to the NDMC to introduce colour contrast on ramps for persons with low vision.

"We also want construction of tactile tiles for visually impaired persons. At Rajiv Chowk and in Delhi Metro trains we want signages that are silent speakers for hearing impaired persons. We also want the officials to become more courteous. Security shouldn't be compromised and even persons like us should be manually frisked while entering public places."

Satbir Singh of NDMC said more works would be carried out soon to further improve the access. "We have built 14 ramps in the inner circle and some inter–connected ramps will be repaired next week."

Source: http://www.hindu.com

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