Volume 4 Issue 2

Feature

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  2005 -- The year that was
  

  As the festivities for ushering in the New Year die down, Parvinder Singh takes a look at some of the events of the year 2005, to list out moments of achievement, failure and ambiguity for India’s disability sector.

Interview

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  Paradigm shift from the medical model to the rights model has not been taken seriously: Natarajan
  

  The paradigm shift in the disability sector from the medical model to a development and rights based model has not been taken seriously, especially when it concerns people with mental and multiple disabilities, says National Trust Chairperson Poonam Natarajan in conversation with Parvinder Singh.

News

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  Government of India to make access features mandatory for state & inter-state buses
  

  In a landmark move that could revolutionize the passenger bus travel across India, the Union Transport Ministry, in consultation with the State Transport Ministers, has prepared a notification that would require city and inter-state buses, run by private operators and state-owned companies, to meet minimum safety and comfort standards, including providing access to disabled people, before being given a permit to ply on the road.

• Delhi High Court admits petition on non-implementation of Disability Act
  

  The Delhi High Court has admitted a Public Interest Litigation on the non-implementation of the Disability Act 1995, based on a letter by Convenor of Disabled Rights Group Javed Abidi to Justice Mukul Mudgal drawing attention to the issue.

• Another path-breaking judgement by the Delhi High Court
  

  In a landmark judgement, the Delhi High Court has ruled that a disabled candidate who scores marks equal to the cut-off limit for general candidates would not be listed in the quota reserved for disabled but alongside general candidate.

• Delhi Transport Minister approves pilot project for disabled-friendly bus terminal
  

  In the continuing dream roll for disabled citizens in the National Capital, so far as announcement of disabled-friendly transport infrastructure is concerned, the Delhi Government has announced a pilot project for constructing an ultra modern and accessible bus terminal at Hauz Khas.

• H.C. issues notices to Centre and U.P.S.C. on discriminatory norms for disabled category candidates
  
  In a development that could swing open the doors of the country’s top bureaucratic jobs to disabled people, the Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Centre and Union Public Service Commission (U.P.S.C.) on a petition seeking a stay on the May-2006 Civil Services Examinations Preliminary until the norms for disabled candidates are brought at par with other reserved sections.
• Training syllabus for I.A.S. officers to include crosscutting perspective on disability
  
  Officers of the fabled iron-structure of the Indian State, the Indian Administrative Services (I.A.S.), will be sensitised on disability issues during their training at Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy with the Government of India currently reviewing the training syllabus.
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  India’s visually impaired highlight Government’s apathy on World Braille Day
  
  India has the world’s largest population of visually impaired people, yet their access to even the most basic tool to their empowerment, Braille, is largely absent due lack of political will on the part of the Government.
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  S.C. awards compensation to an undertrial who spent over 50 years in a mental asylum
  
  The Supreme Court has awarded a compensation of Rs. three lakhs to a 77-year-old man who spent 54-years of his life as an undertrial in a mental asylum and also ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.
• Orthopaedically disabled Haryana State employees to receive higher special allowance
  
  Orthopaedically disabled employees of the Haryana State Government will now receive an enhanced special pay allowance of Rs. 600 and also get the benefit of extended retirement age of 60 at par with their visually impaired colleagues. Earlier, orthopaedically disabled employees had to retire by the age of 58 and were receiving a special pay allowance of only Rs. 250.
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  Why are there no disabled-friendly cars on Indian roads? Asks National Human Rights Commission
  
  In a much needed move to address the brazen neglect of design and production of passenger cars for disabled people, the National Human Rights Commission (N.H.R.C.) has asked the Central Government as to “why there were no disabled-friendly cars on Indian roads?”
• Tamil Nadu district representatives discuss on State-level Convention of Disabled People
  
  A meeting of district representatives of disabled people and their associations was held in Chennai recently to discuss modalities for holding a State-level Convention of Disabled People in Tamil Nadu.
• N.F.B. stages protest rally in the National Capital demanding to meet P.M.
  
  In the continuing agitation on a charter of demands, including fulfilment of quota reserved in the Government jobs, the National Federation of the Blind took out a protest rally from Jantar Mantar in the National Capital recently.