Conviction and friends are his strengths, The Hindu, COIMBATORE, October 10, 2011

Seeking votes: Differently abled Independent candidate S. Baskar campaigning in Coimbatore on Sunday for the post of councillor in the local body elections. — Photo: M. Periasamy

S. Baskar, a contestant for councillor of Ward 84, feels charged and sports a positive look - Karthik Madhavan

A week into his campaign, S. Baskar, a contestant for councillor of Ward 84, is still confident. In fact, he feels charged and sports a positive outlook. “The people's response is good,” he says from his wheel chair.

“The voters come out of their house to meet me, convey their grievances and listen to my promises. They also pat my shoulder, which keeps me going.”

He adds: “They do not treat me any different from other candidates and that in itself is a positive sign.”

Lok Satta

He filed his nomination after his differently abled friends wanted him to do so. And then came the support from Lok Satta, political wing of the Anti-Corruption Front.

“It is the confidence that we can be different, do things better and be a notch above other candidates has made us file the nomination,” says E.K. Baburaj, Mr. Baskar's friend and campaign manager of sorts.

“The differently abled people want to voice the people's as well as their needs at the Council and that's the reason for Mr. Baskar's candidature,” he explains.

The candidate has the support of committed people like A. Syed Ibrahim, who quit his job at a mobile phone shop in Gandhipuram to campaign for Mr. Baskar.

“By fighting the election, we want to covey a message to society that we want to be counted,” says Mr. Ibrahim, who is also a differently abled person like Mr. Baburaj.

Commitment

Their commitment has made the youth among the voters participate in the campaign.

“Youngsters who see us going around seeking votes, volunteer to distribute handbills and enlist people's support,” says M. Shankar Ganesh, another of Mr. Baskar's campaigners.

This is one side of the story. At the other, the candidate and his supporters are forced to do a lot of explaining. “When we approach the voters, they, looking at our physical status, think we are seeking donation. We then try to explain to them that we want their support and vote not money. They also look at campaigners as those working for money. We again tell them we are volunteers not people working for money,” says Mr. Baskar.

The differently abled person's candidature will not make a difference as the voters do not look for one's physical status in voting, says N.J. Murugesan, the DMK candidate for Ward 84.

He says the fight is between the DMK and the AIADMK, the two leading parties, and others do not stand a chance.

With a zest so different and able - The Hindu, COIMBATORE, September 30, 2011

spirited: Independent candidate S. Baskar (centre)
arriving at the Coimbatore Corporation's South Zone office on Thursday.
-Photo: M. Periasamy

Karthik Madhavan

Of the candidates who have filed nominations for election to the Coimbatore Corporation's councillors' posts, S. Baskar stands out. The 32-year-old is different not because of his physical status but what he wants to achieve in the event of his getting elected.

“I want the differently abled to have a say, representation in the Corporation Council,” says the contestant for Ward 84.

“In case I get elected, I will ensure that the civic body takes care of the needs of the differently abled as well.

I want to be their voice in the local body.” He has filed his papers as an Independent and has the support of the Lok Satta, or Makkal Sakthi, the political wing of the Anti Corruption Front. He has studied till third standard, and hails from a family of goldsmiths from Kembatty Colony.

Surya Nagappan of Caliber, an organisation for the differently abled, says the democratic exercise of conducting election is incomplete without the participation of various sections of the society.

A person with disability himself, Mr. Nagappan says having a differently abled in an elected body makes a very big difference. “A challenged person understands our needs better.

And, having one of our ilk eliminates the need for us to depend on others.” He also says this is first step in demanding reservation for differently abled in elected bodies, including the Assembly. “If members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and women can have representation in local bodies, why cannot we? We are as deprived as they are,” is his argument.

Mr. Baskar says students of social work, volunteers, members of Lok Satta and differently abled persons have promised to join his campaign, which will be door-to door.

S. Baskar files papers to run for Coimbatore Corporation Councillor

Dinamalar, 29-09-2011- NEWS

கோவை : "செவிட்டு ஊமைகள் தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடக்கூடாது' என்று, விதிமுறை வகுத்துள்ள தேர்தல் ஆணையத்துக்கு, மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள் கூட்டமைப்பினர், கடும் கண்டனம் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.
கோவை மாவட்ட மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள் சங்கங்களின் கூட்டமைப்பு சார்பில், மாநகராட்சி 84ம் வார்டில் போட்டியிடுகிறார், பாஸ்கர். இவருக்காக, தெற்கு மண்டல அலுவலகத்தில் மனு தாக்கல் செய்ய வந்திருந்தனர், நிர்வாகிகள். கூட்டமைப்பின் தலைமை ஒருங்கிணைப்பாளர் சூர்ய நாகப்பன் கூறியதாவது:
மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு ஒரு பிரதிநிதித்துவம் வேண்டும் என்பதற்காகவே இந்த தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடுகிறோம். கடந்த பட்ஜெட்டில் மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகளுக்காக ஒரு ரூபாய் கூட ஒதுக்கப்படவில்லை. கோவை மாவட்டத்தில் 70 ஆயிரம் மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள் இருக்கின்றனர். அவர்களுக்கான சிறப்பு திட்டங்கள் எதுவும் இல்லை. பஸ்ஸ்டாண்ட், ரயில்வே ஸ்டேஷன்களில் பொதுக்கழிவறைகள் இல்லை. மருத்துவச்சான்று, டிரைவிங் லைசன்ஸ் வாங்குவதில் பல பிரச்னைகள் உள்ளன. எங்களது கோரிக்கை வலியுறுத்த, எங்களுக்கும் ஜனநாயக பிரதிநிதித்துவம் தேவை. பெண்களுக்கு, தாழ்த்தப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு ஒதுக்கீடு தருவதைப்போல, மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கும் ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்கப்பட வேண்டும். தருகிறார்களோ, இல்லையோ, வேலைவாய்ப்பில் மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு ஒதுக்கீடு இருக்கிறது. அதேபோன்ற ஒதுக்கீட்டை, இது மாதிரியான பதவிகளிலும் தரவேண்டும் என்று வலியுறுத்தவே நாங்கள் போட்டியிடுகிறோம்.
தேர்தல் விதிகளில், "செவிட்டு ஊமைகள்' போட்டியிடக்கூடாது என்றொரு விதிமுறை உள்ளது. அவர்கள் ஓட்டளிக்கலாம்; ஆனால், போட்டியிடக் கூடாதா? "செவிட்டு ஊமை' என்ற வார்த்தையே தவறு. "மாற்றுத்திறனாளி என்று தான் கூற வேண்டும்' என தேர்தல் ஆணையத்துக்கு தெரியாதா? ஆணையத்தின் செயல்பாடு கடும் கண்டனத்துக்குரியது. காது கேளாத, பேச முடியாதவர்களின் சைகை மொழி, ஒரு சர்வதேச மொழி. அதை புரிந்து கொள்ளத்தவறுவது யார் குற்றம்? பேச முடியாத குறையுடைய மாணவர்கள் பல பட்டங்களை பெற்றுள்ளனர். அவர்களால் நிர்வாகம் செய்யவும் முடியும். அவர்களது தகுதி, திறமையை பின்னுக்கு தள்ளி, ஜனநாயக உரிமை மறுக்கப்படுவதை அனைவருக்கும் புரிய வைக்கவே இந்த தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடுகிறோம்.இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார்.

Industrial Training Centre for person with disabilities

Caliber Training Centre for person with disabilities (Industrial outsourcing )
Old No.95, New No.105 Vairam St., Coimbatore-1.

தொழிற்சாலைகளுக்கு வெளியே அத் தொழிற்சாலைகளுக்கான பணிகளை மேற்கொள்வதிலும் அதற்காக மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு ஊக்கமும், ஆக்கமும் அளித்து பயிற்சி கொடுத்து கடந்த இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளாக பல்வேறு நிறுவனங்களில் இருந்து பணிகளைப் பெற்று மிகச் சிறப்பான முறையில் நிறைவேற்றி வருகின்றோம்.
அந்த வரிசையில் கோவை மலுமிச்சம்பட்டியில் அமைந்துள்ள பன்னாட்டு நிறுவனமான சூரியோ நிறுவனத்திடமிருந்து பணிகளைப் பெற்று மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு வேலை வாய்ப்பளித்து வருகிறோம். இத்திட்டத்திற்கு உறுதுணையாக இருந்து உதவிய திரு.ஜான் (பொது மேலாளர், சூரியோ தொழிற்சாலை, கோவை) அவர்களுக்கும், மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகளுக்கு தங்குமிடவசதியளித்து பணியாற்றும் இடமும் அளித்து இந்தத் திட்டத்திற்கு செயல்வடிவம் கொடுத்து உதவிய திரு.கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி, (பொறியாளர், ஓய்வு - வேளாண்துறை) அவர்களுக்கும் மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள் சார்பிலும், கேலிபர் அறக்கட்டளை சார்பிலும் நெஞ்சார்ந்த நன்றி!

Souriau India Pvt. Ltd.,

1/516B, Vadakkuthottam Salai,
Malumachampatti,
Coimbatore - 641021.
Tamil Nadu.
India.
http://www.souriau.com/
Tel:+91(0) 422 3005100
Fax:+91(0) 422 3005199

The Hindu, COIMBATORE, August 18, 2011

Employment seminar for differently abled

Staff Reporter

Caliber, an organisation for the differently abled, on Monday conducted a seminar on employment opportunities for persons with disability.

A release said the programme was conducted at Periyar Padipagam, Gandhipuram.

K. Ramakrishnan, general secretary, Periyar Dravida Kazhagam, inaugurated the one-day seminar and urged the State Government to provide priority in appointment for the challenged persons. He also called for fulfilling the announcement providing three per cent reservation in government jobs.

Impediments

Sreenivasan of the Association for the Rights of Visually Impaired, Coimbatore, spoke on the impediments the challenged people face in getting government jobs.

Fill vacancies

Surya Nagappan of Caliber wanted the Government to fill up teaching and non-teaching posts in government-aided schools and colleges by following the three per cent reservation norms.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article2367647.ece

The Hindu, August 8, 2011

Not again, say differently abled

Karthik Madhavan

Collector promises to provide easy-to-access halls

Sunday brought back unpleasant memories for many differently abled candidates who appeared for the Tamil Nadu Public Service's examination for Group IV service.

The orthopedically challenged candidates of the special recruitment examination for the differently abled had to struggle their way to examination halls on the first floor at the venue – the Corporation Girls' Higher Secondary School on Oppankara Street.

On July 30 the differently abled candidates had faced a similar problem when they went to the examination venue, an engineering college on the outskirts of the city, to appear for the Combined Subordinate Services examination.

Surya Nagappan, a candidate, says he and many others like him were asked to go to the first floor. “When the TNPSC knows this examination is exclusively for the challenged people, how is that they had agreed to have examinations halls on the first floor.” “Or, is it the district administration's fault,” he asks.

After the July 30 examination, the TNPSC laid the blame at the district administration's door saying it was they who fixed the venue. The administration said the TNPSC had failed to inform them that the differently abled would write the examination.

This time, though, neither the TNPSC nor the district administration has such a luxury, says Karuppusamy, another differently abled candidate.

“Seventeen of us had to struggle our way to the hall. In the process one even fell as there was nothing to hold on to.” Mr. Nagappan says the assurances the administration gave to the media after the July 30 fiasco have remained just that. “What are they going to say now,” he asks. District administration officials were unavailable for comment.

Collector M. Karunakaran assured that he would henceforth ensure that the differently abled were given examination halls that were easy to access.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article2334836

The Hindu, 4th August 2011

They struggled to reach the exam hall

Karthik Madhavan

Differently abled candidates find it difficult to climb up the staircase

On July 30, hundreds of candidates went to a private engineering college, off Sathyamangalam Road, to appear for the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission's examination for the ‘Combined Subordinate Services'.

Upon reaching the engineering college and coming to know about their examination halls, candidates Surya Nagappan, Syed Ibrahim, Kalanidhi and Sakthivel encountered a doubt. Their doubt was not whether they would clear the examination but whether they would be able to reach the venue at all.

Two of the four differently abled persons had their examination halls on the third floor, the third had it on the second floor and the fourth on the first floor.

They found it so difficult that they reconsidered appearing for the examination, says Mr. Nagappan.

“Climbing three floors is no joke. Syed Ibrahim and I had to inch our way to the third floor, climbing half-a-step at a time on steps we found slippery on account of the smooth finish.”

No relief

Mr. Nagappan complains that neither the college authorities nor the district administration officials were there to provide him relief. “I had clearly mentioned my differently abled status on the application form but it was of no use.”

This was the worst part of the story. What was worse was that the examination centre was so far away from the main road that there was no other transportation facility.

Mr. Ibrahim wants to know why the district administration and the TNPSC had chosen a place that was so far away from the city centre. “It was around 15 km,” he points out. Soon after the examination, Mr. Nagappan says, he contacted the district administration as well as the TNPSC for a clarification but each blamed the other.

“The district administration officials it was the TNPSC's responsibility to inform them that differently abled were among the candidates appearing for the examination so as to enable them to fix a better a centre. The TNPSC officials said they had no role other than approving the centre the district administration identified,” Mr. Nagappan says.

His and the other differently abled persons' worry is that if they have to face the same fate when they appear for a similar government, scheduled on August 7.

The special recruitment for persons with disability for those with class X qualification is just a few days away. They do not know what to do, they lament.

District Collector M. Karunakaran says if the lack of facilities for the previous examination has been brought to his notice, he would have taken efforts to mitigate their trouble.

He promises to provide a friendly centre for the candidates for the ensuing examination.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/article2321262.