News

Volume 3 Issue 18 - September 15, 2005

H. C. gives three weeks to Goa Govt. to work out timeframe for implementation of Disability Act

D.N.I.S. News Network - The Panjim Bench of Bombay High Court has given three weeks time to the Goa Government to work out a timeframe for the implementation of the decade-old The Disability Act, 1995, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (P.I.L.).

The Court has also asked all respondents in the petition to hold a meeting to work out a plan for implementing the provisions of The Disability Act for providing barrier-free environment to disabled persons in the State (According to a local news report dated 5 September, the date fixed for the meeting by the Hon’ble Court was 6 September).

As reported in an earlier issue of D.N.I.S., taking a grim note of the non-implementation of the Act, the Court had flayed the State Government, issuing notice for taking measures to implement provisions of the Act.

Two students of Salgaocar College, Sanford Facho and Sharmine Lobo, had highlighted in their P.I.L. that the State Government was lagging in the implementation of the Act, and prayed that directions be issued to authorities concerned to build facilities as per provisions in the Act.

The Director of Social Welfare, Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd., Konkan Railway Corporation (K.R.C.) are respondents in the case. In the earlier hearing the Court had asked the Social Welfare Department to conduct access audit of public buildings in the cities.

The Court had also urged the Department of Social Welfare to re-relocate its office, which is currently located on the first floor in one of the oldest building on 18th June Road. The building does not even have an elevator. The Department is yet to take any step in this direction.