‘Implement welfare measures for the disabled’

The Hindu, 5th April, 2009
Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: Caliber Trust, an organisation working for people with disabilities, has appealed to the government to implement the clauses mentioned in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The convention was adopted by the U.N. in 2006 and was ratified by India on March 30, 2007. The country had failed to put the welfare measures into practice, said Surya Nagappan, Director of Caliber Trust.
The convention was aimed at promoting, protecting and ensuring the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. It covered key areas such as accessibility, personal mobility, health, education, employment, participation in political life, equality and non discrimination. Hardship
Though India had ratified the convention, the disabled in the country had to face severe hardships in achieving a decent education and employment.
Even transportation facilities were not suited to the needs of the disabled. People with disabilities were often harassed by private and Government bus conductors and drivers, Mr.Nagappan observed.
They were discriminated against and were not treated on a par with others.
According to the UNCRPD, every Government department should allot three per cent of its resources for people with disabilities.
More than 25 people with disabilities attended a meeting organised by Caliber Trust to discuss the need to implement laws governing the welfare of the disabled.
The Trust conducts several training programmes for people with disabilities and is supported by the UDIS Forum, a network of organisations working for the disabled in Coimbatore.

Organisation for the disabled demands protection of rights

The Hindu, 20th April, 2009

Staff Reporter
‘Take action against conductor who ill-treated people with disabilities’
COIMBATORE: Caliber Trust, an organisation working for the welfare of people with disabilities in Coimbatore, has urged the government to sensitise its officials on the rights of the disabled.
This follows complaints from a group of people with disabilities who were forced to pay the fare and humiliated by the conductor of a bus in which they were travelling. Six of them were visually impaired and one had serious orthopaedic impairment. They were travelling in a government bus from Tirupur to Coimbatore on Tuesday.
According to Surya Nagappan, Director of Caliber Trust, the conductor demanded full fare and refused to acknowledge the rule that people with visual impairment had the right to travel free of cost. “He refused to take a look at the ID cards that all of them carried and used abusive language against them,” alleges Mr. Surya.
The government has issued an order allowing travel concessions for people with physical disabilities. The incident is an indicator of the lack of awareness among government officials on the rights of the disabled, Mr. Surya observes.
Travelling in government buses is a nightmare for people with physical disabilities. The conductors often verbally abuse them and refuse to give them concession in the fare.
“Most buses refuse to let in people with disabilities and even if they do, they do not give enough time for the person with disability to board the bus. This has often led to accidents too,” says Srinivas Sathish, a B.Com (CA) student who is orthopaedically impaired. “When government buses do not stop, one can imagine the case of private buses,” he adds.
The government should organise training programmes to sensitise officials on rights of people with disabilities, says Pon. Chandran, Joint Co-ordinator of the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Coimbatore. “Despite producing their national ID cards, they were overcharged and ill-treated by the conductor. This is gross violation of human rights,” he says.
“Unless action is taken against the conductor who did not discharge his duty well, the problem will go unnoticed,” Mr. Surya says. The government should provide ramps in public places for the benefit of the disabled. Issuing digital cards to people with disabilities will bring about a great change to their lives, he adds.

SHG Meeting for Visually challenged people

18th March, A group of Self Help Group People come for a advocacy meeting in Caliber

Selvam.N, Palanisamy.N, Yacoob.A, Negemiya.R, Saktthivel.S, Velusamy., Rathinasamy.S,

E Club Meeting on 15th

FIELD VISIT FROM AVINASILINGAM COLLEGE

A set of 30 Master of Social Work Students from Avinasilingam College,

Visited to Caliber on February 28th, 2009

Opportunity in Marketing

Mr. Marimuthu & Mr.Vadivel got a opportunity to work in AQUA SURE WATER FILTER

Multi Media Class

Jayasree & Vadivel

Faculty Mr. Srinivasa Sathish

Special Coaching for X Std Students

Two hiring impaired students, Mr.Nandhakumar & Mr. Tommy

were appearing X Std Examination in April 2009.

Caliber Special Coaching Centre gave coaching to them.

Resource person D.Jayasree, B.Com.,

Advocacy Prgoramme - February 26 & 27

Advocacy Programme in Caliber on 26th & 27 th of February 2009.

Resource Person Mr.Balaji, M.B.A., From Madurai.

Nearly 20 Differently Abled People participated in this programme.