Most of the blind people in JK are hidden or confined to four walls.

White cane
A symbol of freedom for blind

By Javed Ahmad Tak

White Cane Day is observed world-wide to recognize the movement of blind people from dependency to full participation in society.
The white cane stands as a recognized symbol of blindness and as a symbol affirming the right of blind people to exercise the same rights and responsibilities as others. While the white cane has liberated blind people, allowing them to travel safely and independently, the blind will only achieve full liberation when the public learns to view blind people as having the ability to work and live as others in society.
At one time blind people faced lives of isolation and dependency. The opportunity for an education, employment, and social integration were rare and beyond the expectation of most blind people.
Accordingly, society and blind people themselves learned to view blindness as representing helplessness and dependency on their families or on the charity of the community. Fortunately, today opportunities for blind people are much better than in the recent past. Increasingly, blind people are finding that with access to specialized skills and materials, they can compete in education and in employment and participate fully in all aspects of community life.
Many things have contributed to the improved condition of blind people, but perhaps two advances stand out as having brought about primary change. First is the ability to read and write. In the early 1800's, Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman, developed the system of reading by touch that enabled blind people to become literate and with that ability came the chance to acquire an education and to prepare for meaningful employment. But an education can only lead to employment if the blind person is able to travel independently and safely from his or her home to his or her job. Likewise, community integration requires the blind person to move from place to place without reliance on friends or family.
As far back as recorded time, blind people have used some form of cane or stick to assist them in moving safely in familiar and unfamiliar places. Still the people with blindness use these conventional sticks for their mobility in rural areas. The ability to travel independently by use of a white cane is basic to a blind person's confidence and ability to live a normal, productive life.
Mastery of the white cane gives blind people freedom and confidence. At its most basic level, the cane provides a clear path and alerts the blind person to drop-offs, such as curbs and steps, and to the presence of obstacles. Of course, good travel skills include much more than simply the ability to find a safe path.
Given proper training, the blind person acquires skills and strategies to gather information in the environment, to find his or her way in familiar and unfamiliar places. By use of the white cane, the individual is able to travel safely in buildings, shopping centres, and throughout his or her neighbourhood. Using traffic sounds blind people can cross streets with traffic lights.
Blind people also regularly use public transportation such as buses and subways. Of course, blind people often ask directions from others, however, it is generally not necessary to lead blind people from place to place. Perhaps the best advice is to take the lead of the blind person. If the blind person requires help, he or she will ask and will appreciate the assistance. As a practical tool, the cane is unprecedented in its contribution to the freedom of blind people.
In some places the white cane is accented with a red stripe at the top or bottom of the cane, but the red coloured tip is not necessary or standard throughout the world.
There is a tendency to view Braille and the white cane as nothing more than tools. Of course, they are tools--important tools, however their value is much greater than the granting of literacy and the freedom to move throughout the community. In a very real sense, Braille and the white cane are symbols of the fundamental equality of blind people and their ability to live full lives as contributing members of society.
Rather than being limited to lives of dependency and isolation, blind people today live productive lives, raising families participating in community life and working in a wide range of responsible jobs.
October 15, White Cane Day, marks not only the ability of blind people to walk safely on city streets, but it is also intended to highlight for the public the movement of blind people from poverty and isolation to full participation in community life. The white cane is a symbol of independence and a symbol of the dignity and capacity of blind people.
Blind people need the understanding of the public. They need society to recognize their abilities and to give them a chance to demonstrate their talents.
White Cane Day is a time for blind people and the sighted public to come together in support of the movement of blind people toward full integration.
Blind people do not want to be dependent on their families or on society. What keeps many blind people in dependency is not so much the blindness itself, but the lack of opportunity. Blind people need the chance to become educated, to develop their own interests and abilities, and the opportunity to seek employment on a fair and equal basis with others.
Blind people seek understanding and recognition of their ability and desire to live and work alongside sighted people in their communities.
We have supporting laws and guiding rules to overcome these challenges or minimize the problems but the implementation at ground level is thinner. JK Persons with Disabilities Act guarantees equal opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full participation for the persons with disabilities but it is unfortunate that so far the Act is on papers only and for 2 lakh blind people Jammu Kashmir state has no schooling facilities for the blind people. Mostly these blind people are dependent on the so called social security schemes that is Rs 400/- given to kinds of disable people through Social Welfare department.
On this observance of White Cane Day, we the differently able people, ask that all humans need to recognize the contributions blind people have made and ask that you join with us to open new and greater opportunities for blind people. We ask this not as an act of charity, but as an act of human rights, recognizing that all people should have the right and the opportunity to contribute and live a full and normal life.
According to Census 2001 Jammu and Kashmir has a population of 302,670 of persons with disabilities. Out of this population 2, 08,713 had disability in seeing. Still we see a few persons using the white cane and visible on roads or doing normal routine work. Most of the blind people in JK are hidden or confined to four walls. There is not a single school in the state to impart Braille education to the blind. Therefore blind people are forced to live a life of isolation and desperation. Today government of J&K needs to wake up and show seriousness in the matter. We have talented persons with blindness in our state. Their talents need to be explored and utilised. So that they are productive part of our society.
The author is Honorary Chairman Humanity Welfare Organisation HELPline NGO Bijbehara Kashmir)