Excelsior Correspondent
-Excelsior/ Rakesh
JAMMU, Dec 3: The World Disability Day was today observed by various social and educational organizations throughout the State by holding protests, rallies, seminars and awareness camps.
On World Disability Day today, a large number of handicapped persons under the umbrella of J&K Handicapped Welfare Association (JKHWA) assembled at Exhibition Ground near Press Club Jammu and staged a protest demonstration against the Government for not paying heed to their genuine demands pending since long.
The protesting physically challenged persons raised slogans in favour of their genuine demands and in the shape of a rally marched towards Civil Secretariat but heavily deployed police stopped them at Dogra Chowk, where the handicapped persons staged sit-in protest and later posted their memorandum of demands to the Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed.
The demands put forth in the memorandum included enhancement of monthly pension from Rs 400 to Rs 8000 per month for persons with 40% and above disability, reservation according to population i.e. 10%, 3% promotion in all category of Government jobs meant for disabled persons, grant of political reservation and filling up of backlog posts/vacancies since 1998 to 2015 and special safeguard for the handicapped employees regarding transfers and postings.
The memorandum also sought establishment of State Commission, special Model Schools designed for handicapped persons at least one in each district with specially trained teaching staff, provision of scooter in place of Tri-cycle to disabled persons, separate counters to be opened for persons with disability in every Government/semi-Government offices, 50% concession in electric and water charges to ensure participation of disabled persons in all kinds of development works, office accommodation be provided in each Tehsil/District, allotment of Plots/Shops on concessional rates, 50% subsidy to handicapped persons and free medical aid/treatment in Government hospitals and private Nursing Homes.
In Srinagar, police today detained over a dozen physically-challenged people of J&K Handicapped Association (JKHA) when they tried to take out a protest rally on the occasion of World Disability Day. “We were protesting peacefully and tried to march towards the office of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to submit a memorandum of our demands, but police detained about 15 of our members,” president of the association, Abdul Rashid Bhat said. He said the association was protesting against the non-serious approach of the State Government in addressing the problems of persons with disabilities.
J&K Handicapped Welfare Forum (JKHWF), Ghagwal (Samba) observed World Disabled Day as a protest/black day. A strong protest was held at Ghagwal by hundreds of physically challenged persons in support of their demands. Later, in the shape of a rally they marched towards the office of SDM Ghagwal and submitted him a memorandum of demands for onward submission to Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed.
On World Disability Day, VK Gupta, president, J&K Association of Deaf and Dumb (JKADD) submitted a memorandum of demands to the concerned authorities. The main demands highlighted in the memorandum include establishment of dedicated educational institutional for deaf and dumb in the State, setting up Vocational Training Centre to train the deaf and mute children in various trades and a proper rehabilitation policy for deaf and dumb particularly for over aged and illiterate.
In connection with World Disabled Day, a function was organized at School for Deaf & Dumb and Blind Children, Solina (Srinagar). A cultural programme by deaf & dumb and blind children was the main attraction of the event. On the occasion, chairman of the Society, Dr Rouf Mohi-u-din gave away prizes to three blind students and two deaf and dumb children who passed class 8th and 9th with brilliant marks. Principal, S Noor facilitated the deaf and dumb children with warm clothes.
To mark the ‘International Day of Differently-Abled’, a two-day seminar on the theme “Differently-Abled: Access, Development and Equity” today began at the University of Kashmir on Thursday. The seminar has been organized by the Special Cell of the Department of Students Welfare (DSW). Speaking at the inaugural session, Member of State Accountability Commission, Justice (retd) Bashir Ahmad Kirmani said the society collectively has to shoulder the responsibility to bring to fore the problems faced by specially-abled people. In her address, Dean of Students Welfare at KU, Prof Neelofar Khan highlighted special needs of differently-abled students.
MC Khalsa College of Education observed World Disabled Day by organizing a number of activities for enhancing the awareness of the teacher-trainees as well as teacher- educators on various aspects of Inclusive Education. A seminar was also held on the theme “Inclusive Education”. In the afternoon session, the students witnessed a programme in the Seminar Hall, where a documentary was shown to the students ‘on the extra ordinary performance of disabled children’. Dr Madhu Singh, Principal of the College also talked about the Day and gave a detailed Power Point Presentation on ‘Different disabilities, their causes and prevention.
KC Public School, Jammu under the aegis of Gandhi-King Literary Society observed International Day of Persons with Disability by inviting the inmates of JRC Home for Physically Challenged to the school and spending a meaningful day with them. The visitors were provided with materials for doing drawing and painting along with their hosts. Each visitor was gifted a drawing pad and a box of crayons. In the end, the host students shared refreshment with the visitors in the dining hall.
On the occasion of International Day for people with disability, Reserve Bank of India, Jammu organized a financial literacy and awareness camp in the premises of Higher Secondary School for Hearing Handicapped, Shahidi Chowk (Jammu) run by J&K Samaj Kalayan Kendra. Ramesh Chand, General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, explained importance of financial literacy in one’s day to day life in detail and exhorted students to inculcate savings habit at the young age. He also distributed material on financial literacy along with snacks and gifts among students. Another camp was held by the RBI at SOS Home, Channi Rama.
To observe World Disability Day, a programme was organized by the Education Department at Town Hall Udhampur in which Children with Special Need (CWSN) from eleven education zones of the district presented a colourful cultural bonanza. Minister of State for Finance and Information Technology, Pawan Kumar Gupta, who was the chief guest on the occasion, in his address said that the Government has taken several measures for the welfare of the disabled persons including financial assistance, free education and free medical treatment. Chief Education Officer, Bishan Singh and District Education Planning Officer, JM Tharmat, were also present.
To mark International Day of People with Disability, Inclusive Education Reasi organized a rally from GHSS Reasi, which was flagged off by Chief Education Officer Reasi, Vinod Kumar Soni. The main objective of the rally was to sanitize the mass public about the right of the children with special needs (CWSN). Almost 500 students along with children with special needs took part in the rally from all zones of District Reasi. Principal GHSS Reasi and ZEO Reasi were also present.
To mark the World Disability Day, a legal awareness camp on “Rights of disabled persons” was organized at Vijay High School Majalta (Udhampur) by Tehsil Legal Services Committee, Majalta. Chairman of the committee, Touseef Ahmed Magray, in his address dwelt on the need to shun discriminating against the differently abled people and start living as one. He also threw light on various Government schemes for disabled persons.
On the directions of Chairman, District Legal Services Authority (Pr District and Session Judge) Kathua, Sanjay Dhar, a program was organized on the occasion of World Disability Day in the premises of Legal Aid Clinic situated at Sahar Panchyat of Kathua Tehsil, wherein Advocate Ajat Shatru Sharma threw light on various legislations enacted by the State as well as Central Government for the welfare of disable persons. Advocate Deepak Sharma explained the role and responsibilities of the Legal Services Authorities.
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