Disabled banished behind barriers
Published: Thu, 06 September 2012 11:15 PM
SRINAGAR: Almost no measures have been taken by the government to remove the barriers from public buildings, parks, gardens and other structures to allow smooth movement of physically challenged people.
The physically challenged have been excluded from the rest of the society. Though the Srinagar Municipal Corporation claims that accessibility for physically challenged persons would be ensured in all new public buildings, so far no such thing has been seen as important public junctures remain inaccessible to the disabled.
“This is an important issue and I am ensuring that the handicapped have access to different public buildings,” SMC commissioner Dr G N Qasba. He also said that the media should sensitise people by raising such issues.
“We are trying our level best to minimise the barriers. We have ensured that the new washrooms that are coming up in Lal Chowk have space for handicapped people, both ladies and gents,” Qasba told Kashmir Reader.
Javaid Ahmad Tak, a physically challenged person who runs Humanity Welfare Organization, an NGO, says inaccessibility of disabled people to the public places have segregated them from the society.
“We have been confined to the four walls of our home. We can’t go outside independently, we can’t meet our friends and we can’t enjoy in public parks,” Javaid said.
“I have seen many disabled people using crutches falling down on pavements. If the flooring was done properly they could have easily accessed many important public places.”
The biggest hindrance that prevents wheel chair bound persons from accessing various public buildings is the absence of ramps, Tak said.
“Important buildings here in the Valley are without ramps that could help the disabled in wheel chair to access it.”
Tak said that High Court, Hospitals, Schools are without ramps that cause “immense problems” for them and they have to seek help from others to enter the building.
“Even the Social Welfare Department is without a ramp and when we go there we seek help from drivers and they lift us in their laps so that we may go upstairs,” Tak said.
“Recently during a function at SKICC, one of the disabled was to be presented an award. But as there was no ramp, he was taken to the stage by a man in his lap. This humiliated and highlighted his disability.”
Director Social Welfare Department, Bashir Ahmad said that the department will definitely look to help those who are wheel-chair bound to approach the director directly. But he seemed more worried about difficulties faced by the disabled in approaching him than facilities for the disabled in general areas.
"We have a new proposal for a new building for the department, probably in Bemina area, and we will definitely construct a ramp for them so that they will face no problems in approaching us."
The director also said that it would be preferable that they will take their office to the ground floor inside the old secretariat premises so that the elderly and the disabled will face no difficulties in approaching the department.
The physically challenged have been excluded from the rest of the society. Though the Srinagar Municipal Corporation claims that accessibility for physically challenged persons would be ensured in all new public buildings, so far no such thing has been seen as important public junctures remain inaccessible to the disabled.
“This is an important issue and I am ensuring that the handicapped have access to different public buildings,” SMC commissioner Dr G N Qasba. He also said that the media should sensitise people by raising such issues.
“We are trying our level best to minimise the barriers. We have ensured that the new washrooms that are coming up in Lal Chowk have space for handicapped people, both ladies and gents,” Qasba told Kashmir Reader.
Javaid Ahmad Tak, a physically challenged person who runs Humanity Welfare Organization, an NGO, says inaccessibility of disabled people to the public places have segregated them from the society.
“We have been confined to the four walls of our home. We can’t go outside independently, we can’t meet our friends and we can’t enjoy in public parks,” Javaid said.
“I have seen many disabled people using crutches falling down on pavements. If the flooring was done properly they could have easily accessed many important public places.”
The biggest hindrance that prevents wheel chair bound persons from accessing various public buildings is the absence of ramps, Tak said.
“Important buildings here in the Valley are without ramps that could help the disabled in wheel chair to access it.”
Tak said that High Court, Hospitals, Schools are without ramps that cause “immense problems” for them and they have to seek help from others to enter the building.
“Even the Social Welfare Department is without a ramp and when we go there we seek help from drivers and they lift us in their laps so that we may go upstairs,” Tak said.
“Recently during a function at SKICC, one of the disabled was to be presented an award. But as there was no ramp, he was taken to the stage by a man in his lap. This humiliated and highlighted his disability.”
Director Social Welfare Department, Bashir Ahmad said that the department will definitely look to help those who are wheel-chair bound to approach the director directly. But he seemed more worried about difficulties faced by the disabled in approaching him than facilities for the disabled in general areas.
"We have a new proposal for a new building for the department, probably in Bemina area, and we will definitely construct a ramp for them so that they will face no problems in approaching us."
The director also said that it would be preferable that they will take their office to the ground floor inside the old secretariat premises so that the elderly and the disabled will face no difficulties in approaching the department.
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