Hindu report on Caliber

United for a cause

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Caliber was formed by a group of people with disabilities

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COIMBATORE: “The Government and society are still apathetic to the needs of people with disabilities,” says Surya, Founder Trustee of Caliber, a training and empowerment centre for the physically challenged in Coimbatore. The reservations for jobs for the disabled in the Government sector are not met. “There are vacancies for about 30 typists in the Government sector out of which, only five posts have been filled up,” he adds. Even for setting up private enterprises, they are at a loss as no banks would offer loans more than Rs.15,000 to the disabled, Mr. Surya points out. Caliber was formed by a group of people with disabilities with the objective of empowering themselves and others like them. Formed two years ago, it now has 150 members, all with disabilities. From providing training programmes in DTP, computer and English communication, the organisation seeks to make its members self-reliant. One of its main goals is enlightening society on plight of the disabled.

It has identified English language skills as a key area for self-development. “Even for those who have completed Class X, the centre is giving coaching in spoken English,” Mr. Surya adds.

It caters to the disabled population at Periyanaickenpalayam and Sarkar Samakulam blocks. It is also identifying more people with disabilities who have no access to education.

The system of giving monthly pension to the physically disabled is flawed, he remarks. Despite falling into the above 60 per cent disabled category, many cannot avail of it if they happen to live with their relatives or family members.

Staff Reporter

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Courtesy : The Hindu dated 21st Dec 2007

December 3 : World Disabled Day

There are about 70 million disabled people in India, most
of whom are confined to their home due to complete lack
of infrastructure. Any attempt to travel, enter buildings, parks
or shops can be impossible, unsafe and humiliating, not
just for the person with mobility impairment but also for
persons with visual and hearing impairment. They remain
unseen, unheard and therefore unaccounted.

Denial of access to disabled people results in their isolation
from Society, leading to lack of education and employment.
We strongly believe that if the infrastructure is made accessible
and barrier free, a lot of other problems being faced by disabled
people will be solved to a large extent. Inclusion of the disabled,
about which much is being spoken, will be a reality in day to
day living.

The Disability Act, 1995, a landmark legislation, which was
enacted a decade ago, mandates accessible public areas,
transport etc. It also provides for preferential allotment of land
to disabled people. However even after ten years, most
provision remains only on paper.

There has been some efforts in the post Disability Act period,
but these efforts are patchy and unsystematic. Inaccessibility
of educational institutions is leading to systematic denial of
educational opportunities to people with disabilities.

The involvement rate of disabled students in the universities
was found to be 0.1% and in schools it was 0.5%. Due to
physical and attitudinal barriers disabled students are being
forced out of education system and the number of students
with disability enrolling for admission sees a significant
decrease over the years.

This is the Tenth year of the Disability Act. Talking of education,
employment, rehabilitation will prove to be wasteful, unless
we act in a serious manner. Our efforts to uphold and defend
the dignity and rights of the disabled will bear more fruit only
if we all work together. It is high time for all of us to see that
the Disability Act is implemented with greater earnestness.