Dear Friends,
Please find here below the representations made to the Commissioner for
Disabilities and the Chief Electoral Officer highlighting the issues of the
disabled in Goa.
These representations are a follow up of the Disability and Law workshop which
was held on Saturday 30th April.
Regards
Avelino de Sa
President
DISABILITY RIGHTS ASSOCIATION OF GOA
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DISABILITY RIGHTS ASSOCIATION OF GOA
letterhead
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13th May, 2005
The Chief Electoral Officer,
Old Mental Hospital,
Altinho, Panjim, Goa
Re: Forthcoming Bye Elections and Disability Access
Dear Sir,
Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) is a registered charitable society
recognized by the Directorate of Social Welfare, Govt. of Goa. Its main
objective is to bring the disabled into the main stream of society.
We write to you in light of the forthcoming Bye Elections in 5 constituencies
in Goa scheduled on 2nd June, 2005 to remind you as the Chief Electoral
Officer to take the necessary steps to guarantee that people with disability
exercise their universal right to participate fully and on equal terms in the
electoral process.
The Supreme Court and the Mumbai High Court in their orders dated 19th April,
2004 and 30th September, 2004 respectively (copies enclosed), in a landmark
ruling has given various directions to the Election Commission to make polling
booths accessible and casting of ballot secret viz
- Installation of wooden ramps at polling booths
- The visually impaired and mobility handicapped voters would be allowed
entry to the polling booths with a companion
- Electronic Voting Machines equipped with Braille for Visually Impaired.
We ask you to act on the Supreme Court order to ensure equal participation of
persons with disability. Accessible polling stations are necessary measures to
ensure that disabled people are not denied their fundamental right to vote.
In anticipation we look forward to receiving a positive reply
Yours truly
Mr. Avelino de Sa
President
CC:
The Chief Election Commissioner
Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi ¡V 110 001.
Mr. Javed Abidi,
Executive Director, N.C.P.E.D.P., New Delhi.
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CARITAS GOA letterhead
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Ref: No: CG/NCPEDP/234 14th May, 2005
Mrs. Debashree Mukherjee,
State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities,
Secretariat,
Alto Porvorim, Goa
Sub.: Implementation of recommendations for the welfare of the disabled
Madam,
You will be pleased to know that a day-long workshop on Disability and
Law¡¦ was organized by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for the
Disabled People (NCPEDP) in association with Caritas Goa, Disability Rights
Association of Goa (DRAG), and the North Goa District Advocates¡¦ Association
(NGDAA) at Gaspar Dias Club, Miramar, Panaji-Goa, on 30th April, 2005. It was
attended by 62 people. A website www.disabilitygoa.com to share information on
disability in Goa was also launched on the occasion.
The workshop culminated in recommending several measures to be adopted and
implemented by the various authorities at the State level since the 3 Central
Acts namely The Disabilities Act 1995, The National Trust for Welfare of
Persons with Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 and The Mental Health Act, 1987
are not yet adequately implemented in the State of Goa to ensure the rights
guaranteed to the disabled persons, who are categorized mainly into four
groups:- mobility impaired, visually impaired, hearing impaired and mentally
challenged.
As such, some of the recommendations which require an early
implementation are placed below for your kind consideration and follow up
action:-
a) Shift the Social Welfare Department to an accessible location, in or
around Panaji, complying with the specifications provided under the
Disabilities Act, 1995.
b) Amend the Building Bye-laws to ensure disabled friendly public
premises, enabling the competent authorities to with-hold the Occupancy
Certificate of such buildings, until compliance of the Disabilities Act, 1995
in letter and spirit is effected.
c) Make adequate provisions for the disabled at the polling booths for
the ensuing bye-elections to be held on 2nd June, 2005 and other elections in
future in compliance with the Supreme Court Order of 19th April 2004.
d) Ensure a separate queue for disabled persons at the various public
offices, upon conducting public awareness campaigns with enough publicity at
all levels, to make available the rights and special facilities assured to the
disabled under the various Acts.
e) Conduct a fresh survey of the disabled people in Goa.
f) Empower the various Public Health Centers, specially at Pernem,
Bicholim, Panaji, Ponda, Vasco, Sanguem, Canacona etc. to issue Disability
Certificates to the disabled, in addition to the existing 2 Hospitals namely
Asilo Hospital at Mapusa and Hospicio Hospital at Margao. Goa Medical College,
Bambolim which is presently the Appellate authority is the hospital where most
of the Disabled approach for treatment. Hence adequate facility for issuing
Disability Certificate also be made over there.
g) Conduct special recruitment drive to fill the 3% reserved quota for
the disabled in all the departments and various categories of jobs.
h) Revise the income limit for the disabled in obtaining the various
subsidies at the State level, since the current limit is a paltry sum of Rs.
25,000/- p.a.
i) Organize workshops and awareness drives to educate people about mental
illness and include mental illness as defined in Mental Health Act 1987 as
well as PWD Act 1995, as one of the disabilities.
j) Make available interest free loans for disabled people to buy four
wheelers which is a necessity in view of inaccessible public transport.
k) Provide Conveyance Allowance for disabled Govt. servants as per the
Vth pay Commission Report, since currently only Rs. 100/- are paid.
l) Reinstate the Sales Tax exemption under V.A.T. for the products
manufactured by the disabled / N.G.Os. for the disabled as was provided
earlier.
m) Ensure special parking lots/facilities for the vehicles of the
disabled in market and other public places.
n) Since a marathon task awaits implementation of the aforesaid
recommendations, along with many more, at the hands of the Secretary Social
Welfare with several other portfolios, presently holding charge of the
Commissioner for persons with Disability, it was recommended that a person
holding such a post should not be overburdened with too many
responsibilities/portfolios to implement the 3 Acts expeditiously.
We take this opportunity to thank you for all your support and co-operation
for this cause. We do understand that you are overburdened with several
portfolios which take a lot of your time and attention.
We shall be highly obliged if you could use your good offices in ensuring
implementation of the aforesaid suggestions at the earliest.
Yours Sincerely,
(Rev. Fr. Valeriano Vaz) (Mr. Avelino de Sa) (Adv.
Ehrlich de Sousa)
Director Caritas Goa President DRAG Vice-
President N.G.D.A.A.
C.c.
1. The Director, Directorate of Social Welfare, Panaji, Tiswadi-Goa
2. Mr. Javed Abidi, Executive Director, NCPEDP, New Delhi.
DISABILITY RIGHTS ASSOCIATION OF GOA
C/o Star Investments
Opp. Head Post Office
Panjim, Goa - 403 001.
Telefax: 0832 - 2427160
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.disabilitygoa.com
"Making way for the differently abled in Goa"
