News

Volume 1 Issue 8 - December 15, 2003

Visually challenged in Orissa: Tired of assurances, craving for action

DNIS News Network -- On December 8, over 200 visually impaired persons served a virtual ultimatum to the Orissa government, giving it 48 hours to provide them with employment, failing which they would resort to a fast unto death.

Some of the protestors, who belonged to the Orissa Association for Blind, said that they had been negotiating with the state government for the last six months. Even Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik shunned their request with false assurances.

This uproar had come about after the recent mass recruitment of assistant primary teachers by the state government. Though more than 20 visually challenged persons were selected for this recruitment, district collectors expressed helplessness as there are no clear government orders to nominate visually disabled persons for the posts.