Persons with Disabilities do not want special coaches

Dear Colleagues,

We all have been witness to the vulnerability of travelers with disabilities in secluded Railways Coaches for the Disabled as well as the chaos and disorderliness in these coaches. I had myself been witness to few such incidents. Thus we feel, it would not be in the fitness of things to continue pushing for special coaches for the disabled; we have heard attendants being pushed out saying that they are non-disabled and hence should travel in other compartments; we have seen highhandedness of Railway Protection Force officials, Police and paramilitary officials forcefully gaining entry in to special coaches for the disabled and even pushing non-disabled passengers in the special coaches after charging some amount!

In absence of strict monitoring mechanisms, rail coaches meant for 

disabled are often misused by non-disabled passengers. 

Copyrighted Picture @SCVashishth

We have also heard incidents of visually impaired passengers being allotted special coach, who otherwise can travel in any of the general coaches! On top of it, the coach being touted as "Coach for the Disabled" has no provision of ramp or level entry hence is literally inaccessible.

The Persons with Disabilities Act mandates making the railways barrier free and not creating secluded special coaches. The objective is to mainstream rather than excluding them.  Therefore, if persons with disabilities of this country are rejecting this announcement, it should be respected. 

Differently abled don't want special coaches: The Hindu

The announcement by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday on provision of special coaches for the differently abled people has not found favour with a section of them.

The special coach for disabled is a joke played on 70 millions disabled 

people of India! The coach is neither accessible nor safe for people

 and is often added either close to Engine or at the tail of train!

Copyrighted Picture @SCVashishth

“We expect the government to have a universal design for coaches, which would be accessible for all with furnished washrooms, considering the needs of the differently abled people,” said Sminu Jindal, managing director of Jindal Saw and the chairperson of Svayam, a charitable trust for differently abled people. Ms. Jindal is herself a differently abled person.

Discrimination

“We have been working hard to provide equality and dignity to all, including the elderly and the disabled, and this step goes in the opposite direction discriminating the disabled from the rest. This renders the community more vulnerable, as it does not allow [their] joining the mainstream and restricts them from travelling on general coaches,” she said.

Further, the plan to build escalators would not help the differently abled, she said and requested the Minister to provide for ramps and elevators which would help everyone.

Coverage in Deccan Chronicle

“The announcement on introduction of special coaches for disabled friendly is not a welcome step. We expect the government to have a universal design/coaches which would be accessible for all with furnished accessible washrooms, considering the needs for differently abled people... This step goes in the opposite direction which discriminates the disabled from the rest. This is more vulnerable for the community, as it does not allow mainstreaming and restricts disabled from travelling on general coaches,” said chairperson Sminu Jindal, Svayam, an initiative of Sminu Jindal Charitable Trust.

“Announcement of building escalators, will not come in aid of differently-abled people. We would request the minister to alongside build ramps and elevators which would help all,” she said.

Barrier Free Buildings- a distant dream- State Governments show little interest in Central Assistance Scheme

Dear Colleagues,

In October 2010,  Govt. of India invited proposals from States to give central assistance to provide barrier free environment in important State Government buildings in the State Secretariat, Collectorates, Main Hospitals, Universities and other important Government offices to ensure that these are accessible to the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) under the ‘Scheme for Implementation of PwD Act, 1995 (SIPDA),’ after effecting a major increase in the annual allocation (Rs 15 crore-Rs 20 crore to Rs 100 crore) this year.

While there were apprehension put forward by the activists that how this was going to be implemented in absence of abysmal number of access auditors in the country both for infrastructural access and web-access. Even after almost one and half year, this scheme  has found very few takers. This indicates two factors – which continue this vicious circle of inaccessibility. First is the lip service by the Government – both at the centre and the states- second is the “We can not do much” attitude of Persons with Disabilities, their organisations, DPOs/ NGOs and parent’s organisation.

We have found a similar lukewarm response to an earlier scheme for promotion of employment by which the government offered to pay a certain sum for Provident Fund contribution for the employee with disabilities.

Disability is not a priority area for the government – both at centre as well as at States, since they are grappling with much more serious subjects (seriousness is judged from the perspective of how adversely the segment may affect the voting patterns in the elections!). Therefore, after the lip service in form of schemes, nothing much comes out in absence of concerted effort on the part of NGOs/ Disabled Persons Organisations and Confederations. I remember similar story appearing in the Times of India on 07 November 2010 titled Challenge for the disabled when the new Disability Commissioner took over. However, not much has happened since then.

Barrier Free environment is your fundamental right for it is essential to enjoy “Right to Life” as enshrined in the Constitution of India and eloquently spelt out by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in its various path-breaking judgements.

Therefore, it is high time that Confederations, NGOs, DPOs  who claim to work with and for persons with disabilities in India and as well as disabled people in this country to raise voice through different mediums – representations, dharnas, sit-ins outside the Minister’s office/residences, petitions in the Disability Commissioner’s court, Writ petitions in the High Courts, and every possible way which is democratic and lawful. I am sorry to say, without this, we will have similar news stories every six months explaining the pathetic conditions of inaccessible pedestrian pathways and inaccessible public spaces and transportation systems.

regards

Subhash Chandra Vashishth

Advocate- D isability Rights

Here is this story from Times of India, Pune Edition dated 01st March 2012:

Barrier-free buildings a distant dream for disabled

PUNE: Makrand Vaidya, who walks with the help of crutches, feels intimidated when he has to visit government offices in the city, because of their limiting environment.

“I have visited so many government offices here and none are disabled-friendly. My wife, who is on a wheel-chair, feels the same. My condition is such that I cannot use the crutches for an extended period of time. So, when government offices do not have ramps or a lift, I have to climb up a flight of stairs by sitting on every step to rest before moving forward. Situations like that not only drain my energy, but also my confidence,” said Vaidya.

A visually-impaired student, who declined to be named, said, “There aren’t any staff to guide the people with disabilities (PwDs) who visit government offices. More often than not, staff at government offices tend to misguide you by giving you wrong directions and partial information. Inquiry booths for PwDs at all government offices are indispensible. Lack of such facilities only delay our errands further.”

The fact that the Pune Disability Commissioner’s office has not received adequate number of applications from the state government departments seeking grants to make their offices barrier-free, shows the disinterest in making public buildings disabled-friendly.

The Union government had sought proposals for Rs 12 crore from the states, to make required changes in the office premises of state departments and make them better accessible to physically-challenged people.

Though the deadline to send the applications is already over, the Disability Commissioner’s office here has received applications seeking funds to the tune of just Rs 8.5 crore so far. What’s more, the Pune divisional commissioner’s office and the Pune Zilla Parishad, which were specially asked to send their requirements for grants under the scheme, are yet to respond.

Proposals from states have been invited by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment under the ‘Scheme for Implementation of PwD Act, 1995 (SIPDA),’ after effecting a major increase in the annual allocation (Rs 15 crore-Rs 20 crore to Rs 100 crore) this year.

Officials from the disability commissioner’s office had made a presentation to various state government departments, including Pune Zilla Parishad and the divisional commissioner’s office, to encourage them to submit proposals for making provisions for barrier-free environment in their respective buildings.

“However, no proposal has been received from the zilla parishad and the divisional commissioner’s office, and we are still seeking to fulfill the shortfall of Rs 3.5 crore,” said an official from the Disability Commissioner’s office.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), 2008, to which India is a signatory, calls for making buildings, work places, facilities including information, communication and other services, etc, accessible to PwDs on an equal basis. In addition, section 46 of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, makes implementation of barrier-free environment for PwDs everywhere, especially government buildings.

The official said, “However, in spite of the legislation, people are unaware of what exactly is a barrier-free environment. Only a ramp and a toilet on the ground floor do not amount to the structure being barrier-free. Thus, central assistance on significant scale under the SIPDA is provided to states to encourage them to move in the direction of making their buildings totally barrier-free.”

He said the disability commissioner’s office authorities have focused on providing at least four features in the government buildings that have hitherto submitted applications. “A ramp, toilets on all the floors for the disabled, signage boards for the hearing-impaired and a lift (for buildings where ramp does not go beyond two floors) are barrier-free features which will have to be added in the buildings mandatorily,” he said.

The official said the disability commissioner’s office had asked the state health department for proposals from eight civil hospitals from eight regions of the state. “We, however, have not received any applications from the health department,” said the official.

The disability commissioners’ office had also asked the higher education department to send proposals to make their websites accessible to PwDs and institutions environment barrier-free. However, only five universities and 11 directorate offices from the state have sent proposals within the time limit.

The official further added that Amravati district collector, Mumbai university and divisional commissioner, Mumbai, have also not sent applications. “Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, has given a proposal to the tune of Rs 3 crore, Rs 76 lakh for making four of its buildings barrier-free. Others who have sent the proposals include North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, SNDT University, Mumbai, and Nagpur Veterinary College,” the official said.

Dananjay Bhole, co-ordinator, Blind Students Learning Centre, University of Pune (UoP), said, “I have been working at the UoP for the last couple of years and was also a student earlier. For me, mobility on the campus has not been a hindrance because I have been here for some time now. But, initially, I faced several problems here since there wasn't any cell to help physically challenged people. With increasing awareness UoP has taken initiatives to make its environment more disabled-friendly. The new buildings on the campus can be easily accessed by physically challenged people. Access to old buildings is difficult for wheelchair users as there are no inclined ramps installed at the entrance to the buildings.

Source:  Times of India, Pune Edition

The Hindu : Arts / Magazine : Showcase: Personal, yet impersonal

This is one noble soul that I have come across in my entire life with such a zeal to do so much for the world around us, knowing well the physical limitations yet exploring each moment the joys of reaching out to the needy. Mr. Rajinder Johar, I truly salute your spirit and highly recommend this film by Mr. Pankaj Johar - a real tribute to the legend who continues to write history in the disability movement each day!

Please do not miss this out. It has the potential to kindle life, energy in any of us.


"A documentary film on the life of a disabled person has every chance of becoming a sob story, especially if made by a family member. “Still Standing” triumphs on this score. Pankaj Johar — who won the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari Trophy for the best debut director in the international competition section of the 12th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films (MIFF) — does not allow the personal to overshadow down the professional in his film based on his father Rajinder Johar’s life.
Johar senior’s story is inspiring, to say the least. Shot by a colleague soon after joining as a physiotherapist in Lucknow’s King George’s Medical College way back in 1986, a bullet injury in the spine meant he was completely bedridden for the rest of his life. After an initial phase of depression, he chose to live life. And how!

He started what is known as Family of Disabled (FoD), an NGO that has over the years provided help to thousands of disabled people in Delhi to be self-dependant. From his bed, Johar coordinates a team that provides help to disabled people from various strata of society."

.......more on The Hindu : Arts / Magazine : Showcase: Personal, yet impersonal

regards
Subhash C Vashishth

Blind can use online testing instead of scribes

Dear Friends,


As per reports, The Institute for Banking Personal Selections (IBPS) has joined hands with International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB) and the National Association for the Blind Karnataka (NABK), to develop ‘Nethra Sarathy,’ the testing tool in coming 8-9 months. The tool will be deployed nationally for all visually challenged candidates taking the test by the end of 2012.


This seems a remarkable initiative to bring in an element of equality and independence to the visually impaired candidates who till now suffered many a times due to incompetent scribes and the rules related to use of scribes. Experiences are varied from a few taking undue advantage of the Scribe in most cases people suffering due to incompetent scribes forced upon the or available to them at the crucial time of examination and mostly because of the unfriendly rules relating to use of Scribes for the examination.


However, this would also mean that our visually impaired brethren should  be conversant with computers and online examination system and must be exposed to the same by mock drills by the training organisations, NGOs and the recruitment agencies. Such mock drills could be provided on their websites which can come handy for people.


Here is the coverage from our learned friend Mr. L Subramani, Deccan Herald. To read it from Source click here: Deccan Herald.

Blind can soon do away with scribes for bank exams

L Subramani,Bangalore, Feb 1,2012, DHNS:

‘Nethra Sarathy,’ an online testing tool is expected to be ready in eight months

In what could be a major boost for visually challenged persons - applying for bank jobs - the Institute for Banking Personal Selections (IBPS) will develop an online testing tool to enable them to take the test without scribes, for the first time. 

The biggest testing and skill-building organisation has joined hands with International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB) and the National Association for the Blind Karnataka (NABK), to develop ‘Nethra Sarathy,’ the testing tool, in about eight months. The tool will be deployed nationally for all visually challenged candidates taking the test by the end of 2012, IBPS Director Balachandran told Deccan Herald  over the phone, from Mumbai. 

“There are nearly 1.45 million visually challenged persons aged between 20 and 29 in the country and 50 per cent of them apply for bank jobs,” Balachandran said. 

“Finding the right kind of scribes who would adequately reflect their ability to answer questions in a banking test remained the biggest impediment for them to crack the test and find gainful employment in the banking sector. We hope the new tool would obviate the need for scribes and allow them to take advantage of the technology available,” he said.

Training

IIITB Director and President of NABK Prof S Sadagopan said nearly 100 visually challenged candidates who had applied for bank exams last year from Karnataka would be trained in the newly-designed tool to check whether absence of scribe obstructs their speed or efficiency in answering questions. 

“The testing software has to be compatible with the screen reading software the visuall challenged use to read and write on a PC. But we need to ensure that the system in place is stable enough for them to take the exam without trouble,” he added. 

While IIITB would work on the patches which can be downloaded and fixed to ensure stability of performance and connectivity throughout the test period, NABK would put the tool to test and check whether the candidates feel comfortable using the online tool than a scribe. 

“The 100 students would be trained under the computer training programme we have at NABK and, at the end of the pilot project to test the tool, they would either be allowed to take the real test for bank jobs or offered more training and placement through our computer course,” said NABK Secretary V Mohan Kumar. 

Last year, more than 8,000 visually challenged candidates appeared for the recruitment test conducted by IBPS for the banking sector, one of the largest recruiters of visually challenged persons. Due to non-availability of well groomed and qualified scribes, many of them find it hard to clear the test. 

“We would like to conclude the testing of the tool in seven to eight months –or possibly a month more—and deploy it across the country by the end of 2012,” said IBPS Professor and Head of R&D Division Dr M L Dutt, who is in charge of ‘Nethra Sarathy’.

BERA Tests to check misuse of fake certification of hearing impairment

Dear Colleagues,

There have been incidences of misuse of Disability Certificates by persons not having required (40%) of disability to be eligible for the benefits available under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995.

It has come to our notice that many persons who use voice cellphones regularly to call and receive a voice call have been claiming to be persons with disability (hearing impairment) and possessing fake disability certificates thereby taking away the benefits meant for the persons with hearing impairment in terms of Persons with Disability Act 1995.

To prevent irregularities in availing reservations for physically challenged persons, the authorities in Andhra Pradesh (India) are planning to adopt a new technology, the Brainstem Evoked Response Audiom-etry (BERA) system to ascertain hearing deformity of persons in the district.

The new system will become significant when candidates claim reservation under the hearing-impaired quota. There are a huge number of cases to prove that ineligible people have availed certificates from doctors when traditional tests like the simplified tone decay tests are used. “We have received many complaints that people possess certificates as hearing impaired and have been misusing the quota. We have been asking professionals to adopt a stringent mechanism that prevents irregularities,” said Mr V.V.S.S.N. Murthy, the assistant director, Depart-ment of Welfare for the disabled and senior citizens.

Government had decided that hearing deformity should be certified only at the ENT hospital at Koti in Hyderabad. The local medical board recommends patients as physically challenged for final certification. Normally, persons with deformity of more than 40 per cent can only be considered valid and hearing disability normally is associated with dumbness. But in most cases, there is no speech deformity.

This feature proves fake certification, say medical professionals.

Source:  Deccan Chronical