Volume 3 Issue 24

Feature

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  Celebrating World Disability Day with the “Walk to Freedom�
  

  World Disability Day has traditionally been celebrated at India Gate to highlight and draw the attention of policy makers to the issues facing disabled people in India. This year too, thousands of people from across the country participated in the World Disability Day celebrations organised by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People in association with many national and international organisations, says Chitra S. Shankar.

Interview

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  Litigation is a way to develop Disability Law: Ashok Aggarwal
  

  Disabled people should themselves become leaders in the fight for their rights and while doing so they should not remain isolated but integrate with all other sections of society to further their movement, says Advocate Ashok Aggarwal in conversation with Parvinder Singh.

News

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  Delegation of disability leaders calls on President of India on World Disability Day
  

  A 10-member delegation of leaders representing disabilities across the spectrum met President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and briefed him on the ‘10-Demands’ Charter that the disability sector has prepared for seeking radical changes in the lives of millions of disabled people in the tenth year of The Disability Act 1995.

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  A law with no one to implement has been the tragedy of the India's disability sector: Abidi
  

  In a statement issued on World Disability Day, Convenor of Disabled Rights Group Javed Abidi has reiterated the demand for a separate Ministry for disability issues, while recounting moments of heroism and tragedy in India's disability movement in the past 10 years.

• Firm up disability laws to ensure rights of disabled people: Delhi High Court Chief Justice
  

  On the occasion of World Disability Day, National Legal Services Authority (N.A.L.S.A.) organised a Seminar on Rights of Persons with Disability to mark National Legal Aid Week for Persons with Disabilities from 3 to 9 December 2005.

• H.R.D. Ministry to be nodal agency for implementation of Inclusive Education policy
  
  In a development that could become a watershed moment for disabled children, a Group of Ministers (GoM) that had drafted the framework for Inclusive Education has decided to make the Human Resource Development Ministry the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme.
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  Kalam asks States to appoint Special Commissioners to ensure implemention of 3 per cent reservation
  

  Focusing on the single most important demand of the disability sector in the tenth year of the Disability Act, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has asked State Governments to appoint Special Commissioners to ensure the implementation of three per cent reservation in Government jobs.

• More and more disabled students enrolling in open schools: National Institute of Open Schooling
  
  Even as the Indian Government prepares a policy for making schooling in India inclusive, not only are more and more disabled students enrolling in open schools but they are also matching the academic performance of their non-disabled peers.
• Madras H.C. directs C.M.T.C. not to buy new buses without ensuring their accessibility
  
  The Madras High Court has directed the Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation (C.M.T.C.) not to order new buses for its fleet without making mandatory changes needed to make them disabled-friendly.
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  Inclusive Education Plan set for launch next year: Arjun Singh
  
  A National Action Plan for Inclusive Education of Children and Youth with Disability is in its finalisation stage and would be made operational by the next academic year, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh said on the eve of World Disability Day at an award ceremony in the National Capital.
• Protests over lack of implementation of Disability Act mark World Disability Day
  
  To highlight the apathy of the Government towards implementation of the provisions of the Disability Act 1995, a protest rally was held in the National Capital by the National Federation of the Blind (N.F.B.) on World Disability Day.
• Two-day career development forum held for promoting inclusive employment opportunities
  
  Action for Ability Development and Inclusion (A.A.D.I.) and F.I.C.C.I.’s Socio Economic Development Foundation (S.E.D.F.) organised a two-day career development forum for promoting inclusive employment opportunities to mark the World Disability Day.
• Access audit by D.L.U. South belies claims of disabled-friendly railway stations
  
  Following an affidavit filed by the Indian Railways in the Madras High Court in a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation, an audit team from Disability Law Unit, South, Vidya Sagar, has found false the claims made in the affidavit about disabled-friendly services at Chennai Central and Egmore stations.
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  Delhi Travel and Tourism Development Corporation to construct accessible traffic crossings
  
  Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (D.T.T.D.C.) has given the go ahead for the installation of two disabled-friendly traffic lights.
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  Eye Hospital by Rahul Gandhi to address high incidence of curable blindness in Uttar Pradesh
  

  Moved by the phenomenally high rate of preventable blindness cases in Uttar Pradesh, Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi has set up a 65-bed eye hospital in Amethi.

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  Thai disability rights protestors clash with police on World Disability Day
  Disabled Peoples’ International held an impressive demonstration to stress on the demand for access on World Disability Day in Thailand
• Special Olympics 2005 leaves only "winners"
  

  Special Olympics Bharat 2005, which saw disabled children from 21 states including 10 teams from Delhi take part in the sports event in the National Capital, came to a close with a colourful ceremony.