THE HINDU, MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2008

‘Ensure job reservation for the disabled’
Staff Reporter
Caliber identifying disabled people who are in need of skill training
COIMBATORE: The Government is not sympathetic to the needs of the disabled. Even the 3 per cent reservation for the disabled allotted by the Central Government is not filled up.
“The vacancies in the Government departments should be duly filled and the disabled should be given the posts that are reserved for them,” says Surya, Managing Trustee of Caliber, an organisation working for people with orthopaedic disabilities.
Vacancies
According to Mr. Surya, the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission had announced vacancies for Field Surveyor (93 posts) and Draftsman (235 posts).
But, no reservations had been allotted for the physically disabled, he alleges.
Ideal
“These are jobs which educated people with physical disability can easily perform. Since it doesn’t involve much mobility skills, the jobs are ideal for persons with orthopaedic disability. It is unfair to the disabled not to give them a chance to prove their worth,” he adds.
Though the Government had filled about 2.5 lakh vacancies, only 61 disabled people got jobs. As per the 3 per cent reservation, at least 7,500 disabled people should be given employment.
The organisation has about 300 members with orthopaedic disability. It is also identifying disabled people who are in need of skill development training and communication skills.
Contact number
Caliber can be contacted at 0422- 2644603.

The Hindu, Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008

Art and craft exhibition
Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: An exhibition of art and craft work of people with disabilities will be organised by Caliber Trust, an organisation of people with physical disabilities, on February 9 at the Annapoorna Hall at R.S.Puram. The items will be for sale. The proceeds of the sale will go to the welfare activities of the Trust.

The Trust had recently conducted a training programme on art and craft for people with disabilties. The ten people who attended the programme were trained in glass painting, ceramic painting and embossed-cloth painting. For details, contact 0422-2644603 or email caliber.coimbatore @gmail.com.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/29/stories/2008012957090200.htm

உடல் ஊனமுற்றோருக்கான இட ஒதுக்கீடு

தமிழ்நாடு அரசுப் பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையத்தின் விளம்பர எண் 135ல் அறிவிக்கப்படடுள்ள மொத்த காலியிடங்கள் 3875 அதில் உடல் ஊனமுற்றோர்களுக்கு உரிய 3% ஒதுக்கீட்டின்படி 133 இடங்களை ஒதுக்கீடு செய்திருக்க வேண்டும் ஆனால் தட்டச்சர் பணிகளில் 32 இடங்களையும் சுருக்கெழுத்தர் பணிகளில் 6 இடங்களையும் ஒதுக்கியிருக்கிறது தேர்வாணையம். 133 இடங்களுக்கு பதில் 38 இடங்களை மட்டும் உடல் ஊனமுற்றோருக்கு ஒதுக்கினால் ஊனமுற்றோர் என்ற அடிப்படையில் வேலை வழங்கப்பட வேண்டிய 95 இடங்கள் நியாயமாக ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யப்பட வில்லை.95 பேருக்கு அரசு வேலை வாய்ப்பு கிடைக்காமல் போயவிடும். இதற்கு அரசு அளிக்கும் விளக்கம் என்ன? டாஸ்மாக்கில் பணியாற்றி வரும் பணியாளர்களுக்கென சிறப்பு போட்டித் தேவை தமிழ்நாடு அரசுப் பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையம் அறிவித்துள்ளது விளம்பர எண் 142 இதில் மொத்த காலிப் பணியிடங்கள் 4103 இதில் உடல் ஊனமுற்றோருக்கு ஒதுக்கப்பட்டிருப்பது வெறும் 32 இடங்களே. 3% இட ஒதுக்கீட்டின்படி உடல் ஊனமுற்றோருக்கு 123 இடங்களை ஒதுக்கியிருக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால் தேர்வாணையம் வெறும் 32 இடங்களை ஒதுக்கீடு செய்து உடல் ஊனமுற்றோரின் வாழ்வாதார உரிமையைப் பறிக்கிறது. அரசு வேலை கிடைக்கும் என்ற நமபிக்கையில் இலட்சக் கணக்கான ஊனமுற்றோர் இருக்கின்றனர். அரசு வேலை என்பது ஒரு சிறப்பு சமூக அந்தஸ்த்து. ஊனமுற்றோரைப் பொறுத்தவரை ஒரு அரசு வேலை இருந்தால் அவர்களுககு எளிதில் திருமணம் நடக்கும். பாதுகாப்பான ஒரு வாழ்க்கை அமையும். உடல் ஊனமுற்றோரின் உரிமைகள் என்பது அடிப்படை மனித உரிமைகள் ஆகும். எனவே அரசு உடல் ஊனமுற்றோருக்கு வழங்க வேண்டிய 3சதவிகித இடஒதுக்கீட்டைப் உடனடியாக வழங்க முன் வர வேண்டும். எனவே அரசு தேவையான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். இதில் நீதிமன்றம் தலையிட்டு உடனடியாக உடல் ஊனமுற்றோருக்கு உரிய இட ஒதுக்கீட்டினைப் பெற்றுத் தர வேண்டும் என்று அனைத்து உடல் ஊனமுற்றோர் சார்பாகக் கேட்டுக் கொள்கிறோம்.

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.