HYDERABAD: While the panelists at the release of the report, India: Social Development Report 2016, Disability Rights Perspectives were addressing the audience, one person on the panel was taking the help of an interpreter.
TKM Sandeep, president of Deaf Enabled Foundation, was seated beside his interpreter Ramya Miryala, the vice-president of the organisation. “This is a necessity. It is not help, it is a way of life. No one recognises the need of an interpreter for a deaf and mute person. It is a profession. But there are hardly any in Telangana and even the country,” said Sandeep when he addressed the gathering.
Similar issues of the disabled are often left behind. However, this comprehensive report, edited by Kalpana Kannabiran, lawyer and sociologist and Asha Hans, former professor of Political Science, Utkal University, can help bring about some policy changes, say experts who were present at the report release held at the Administrative Staff College of India.
“There is no empirical data on persons with disability. Also, the society’s understanding of disability is still an aberration that needs to be corrected and normalised. It is something that is a result of poor health and is not considered as a diversity. In order to shift this definition, there is a need to put out more information specially empirical data that gives scope for research,” said Kalpana Kannabiran.
The report, that has been divided into three parts, starts with the definition of disability, the various contexts and also the social development index.
BP Acharya, principal secretary, Planning Department, Government of TS, said this is one area that is poorly understood. “There are a number of reasons why this doesn’t come to the attention of policy makers. The government has been making interventions, but for consistent plans to be implemented, we need reports such as these,” he said adding that they soon plan to have a similar report on the issues specific to Telangana.
NTPC conducts spl programme to mark World Disability Day
Hyderabad: To encourage children with special needs, NTPC organised a special programme on Wednesday to mark World Disability Day that is marked on December 3. Around 400 children with disability from special schools in the twin cities participated in different events including singing, dancing, rangoli, drawing competition and fancy dress competitions. Parents of the students were also present at the programme. NTPC also distributed 75 wheelchairs to physically-challenged persons.