Disabled ask Govt's help for betterment

Guwahati, Dec 26: Activists of various rights demand groups for disabled persons today criticised the Asom government for its 'casual and tentative' attitude towards grievances of the disable people in the state.

They called for a pro-active association of the civil society and a 'focused and strategic' approach of the government towards disabled people's issues, so that the latter would not have to restore to agitation to press for their rightful demands.

Addressing a press meet here, Disability Law Unit-North East assistant project coordinator Anju Talukdar alleged that all provisions for special arrangements for disabled people provided by various Acts and other legal authorities were being grossly ignored by the Asom government.

She pointed out that the government was not paying the unemployment allowance for persons with disabilities registered with the Special Employment Exchange for over two years with no gainful occupation.

''Sikkim and Mizoram pay a nominal amount of Rs 200 and Rs 100 respectively. Delhi has also recently started paying Rs 500 per person per month,'' she added.

Quoting 2000 Census figures, Ms Talukdar informed that there were 5,30,300 disabled people in Asom.

The census claims 3 per cent of the total population in the country have disabilities, while the Community Based Rehabilitation Forum (CBRF) put the percentage at 5.5 per cent.

As per CBRF figures, of the total 2,66,38,407 population of Asom, 17,79,968 were people with disabilities. Even with 5 per cent prevalence rate, the number would be 13,31,920 people.

Of the total 3,90,35,582 population of NE, as per 2000 Census figures, 7,42,661 people are with disabilities. If the rate of prevalence is taken to be 5 per cent, 19,51,779 people are disabled in the region.

Ms Talukdar pointed out that the figures are quiet high even if the Census figures are accepted, though the universal assumption was for 5 per cent prevalence rate.

However, less than 2 per cent of children with disabilities across the country have access to education while the employment rate was below 1 per cent, she added.

She pointed out that reservation was being made for people with locomotor disability, while visually or hearing disabled people were being almost left out. ''Moreover, reservation were being made in lower grade posts only, which is humiliating for the disabled people as there are efficient people among them who can handle all kinds of work,'' she added.

Action Aid activist Prassana Kumar Pincha, also present at the press meet, criticised the state government for having no fixed policy to address the issues of the disabled people.

He pointed out that the disabled people were being forced to agitation to demand for job reservation two-three times every year for the last 15 years, when they rightfully have claim to at least 3 per cent government jobs.

He said, ''The government focuses on calling off the agitation with assurances rather than addressing the issues in the long run.

This is turning into a chronic problem.'' Many disabled people were currently on a fast for over 10 days now at Dispur demanding release of their colleagues held during a recent demonstration, he pointed out.

They were demanding appointment to the 662 government posts interviews for which were held in 2005.

Mr Pincha also drew attention to the fact that the state civil services examinations have been kept on hold by the Gauhati High Court following a petition against the government for not reserving posts for the disabled in the elite services.

Chief Coordinator of the Rehabilitation Society of the Visually Impaired, India, NE, Monuj Kumar Tamuli said many PSUs he had written to, asking information about the number of disabled people in their employment, chose not to reveal the data.

The Assam Oil Corporation had given to a single person with visual impairment since 1995, while the Oil Indian Limited refused to give the data, he said.

''Moreover, a student with visual impairment was denied admission by Dibrugarh University last year and it was only after our intervention, that his case is being dealt with now,'' he added.

Mr Tamuli called on the Chief Minister to deal with the issues of the disabled people with a clear-cut policy and urged the civil society to add their voice behind the demands of the disabled people.

UNI