Volume 3 Issue 10

Feature

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  India’s persons with disability await inclusive sports policy
  A handful of sportspersons with disabilities have produced tales of struggle, and even triumph. But these are scattered instances, indicative of insensitive and backward policies, which fail to make sports accessible to about seven crore citizens of this country, examines Parvinder Singh.

Interview

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  “The blind community has no borders and no discrimination”
  During the recent Petrocup Indo-Pak blind cricket series held from 28 April to 5 May 2005, Anand Vivek Taneja met the captains of both teams, Manavendra Singh Patwal (India) and Saiyad Sultan Shah (Pakistan), who shared their views on the game as well as their experiences.

News

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  Crisis finally resolved; employees get jobs in I.G.L.
  Finally, it is victory for the disability sector, as the four disabled employees dismissed by GAIL have been given jobs in Indraprastha Gas Limited (I.G.L.).
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  Railways turns deaf ear to memorandum from N.C.P.E.D.P.; claims it is doing ‘enough’
  While the country’s railway stations and train coaches remain inaccessible for persons with disabilities, the Ministry of Railways has given a lukewarm response to a memorandum by N.C.P.E.D.P. for inclusion of disability issues in the Railway Budget 2005-06.
• N.I.A. to offer health insurance to persons with mental, physical disabilities
  In a significant development that may well prove to be a harbinger of changes in India’s insurance sector for persons with disabilities, the N.I.A. has agreed to provide persons with disabilities health insurance cover at a standard premium as it does for other sections of society.
• Failure to implement reservation; Delhi High Court stays appointment of Principals
  The Delhi High Court has stayed the appointment of principals in 90 schools run by the State government for its failure to implement 3% reservation for persons with disability.
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  India's first indigenous automated wheelchair ready, courtesy army officers
  Indian Army Majors have manufactured India’s first motorised or automated wheelchair that will cost a fraction of the imported variants currently available in the market and has features that are comparable to the best available.
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  Sensitising future administrators about disability
  The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration has been quietly but steadily sensitising Officer Trainees with regard to disability issues.
• Assam Government agrees to demand for multiple exam venues for disabled candidates
  The Assam Government has agreed to a demand by candidates with disabilities for holding recruitment tests and interviews for government posts at district headquarter-level, following a P.I.L. moved by them in the High Court.
• N.C.P.E.D.P. organises Disability and Law workshop in Goa
  A workshop on Disability and Law was conducted by N.C.P.E.D.P. in association with Caritas-Goa, North Goa District Advocates Association and Disability Rights Association (D.R.A.G.), in Panjim, Goa, on 30 April.
• Pakistan to host regional seminar on Inclusive Education; Javed Abidi to recount Indian experience
  Experts and activists from civil society organisations in South Asia will brainstorm and initiate dialogue on how to bring children and youth with special needs and disabilities into the mainstream, for cohesive social inclusion.
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  Mental illness to be the greatest killer by 2020
  A three-day conference on ‘Recent Trends in Mental Health in India’ drew attention to a rapid increase in cases of mental illness, and the lack of policy implementation for dealing with these cases both at the preventive and treatment level.