This is incredible. If the facilities in the area are restricted to housing
board allotees, how did the government sanction this plot of land to the
school in the first place? The school should fight not just the authorities
but also such despicable attitudes until it gets the facilities.
We could create a hue and cry nationally with the help of ND TV or send out
a petition with hundreds of signatures if that will make a difference.
Geetha
----- Original Message -----
From: "Abdul Razique" <1988.ab...@gmail.com>
To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in>
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 4:49 AM
Subject: [AI] Visually challenged denied basic facilities in TN
Hello list members,
Please read this NDTV coverage. I'm sorry if this has been posted before.
-----------
Last year, NDTV uncovered a story on residents of a colony in Chennai who
were opposing a school for the visually challenged in their neighbourhood
all because they felt looking at visually challenged people is bad omen.
A media outcry helped the NGO set up the school. Now, there's a new
challenge. The local authorities seem reluctant to provide drinking water
and drainage facilities, citing a technical reason.
This new residential training school for the visually challenged has come
up with the required Government approval. But for more than a month, the
NGO that built it has been waiting for a drinking water and drainage
connection. The local panchayat has refused to provide these basic
facilities. This is allegedly under pressure from affluent neighbours who
are opposed to a school for the differently-abled coming up in their
vicinity.
In the beginning, the neighbours did not want this home to come up here.
Many believed looking at visually challenged people every morning would be
a bad omen. And it took a court battle to start the construction.
The plot was a gift from the Tamil Nadu government. Now, over a hundred
visually challenged students have been forced to continue in their old
cramped school.
"They say the drainage and water connections are purely for the housing
board allotees and not meant for any other people. This is clearly a
strategy to avoid us," says Gopi, Founder, Nethrodaya.
The panchayat president refused to comment. When NDTV took up this issue
with the Collector, he promised to look into it
"The district administration will take a decision on merit, having in mind
they are physically challenged people," says G. Sundaramurthi, Collector,
Tiruvallur district.
The school's motto says let's share the light, but neighbours here
allegedly don't want to share even the basic common facilities. Clearly
what's required is a change in mindsets.
Regards,
Abdul
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