The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Madras varsity to have disabled-friendly campus

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Friday, Nov 23, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Madras varsity to have disabled-friendly campus

Special Correspondent

It is the first higher education institution to have the facility

Chennai will be second city to have an exclusive helpline for the disabled
Exhibition of disabled-assistive equipment to be held in Tiruchi in January

CHENNAI: The University of Madras is all set to become the country’s first higher education institution to provide a barrier-free environment for the disabled.

The Union Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment has, in principle, accepted a proposal from the university to make its campus more access-friendly for the physically challenged. “We had written to all universities asking them to provide a barrier-free environment. The University of Madras was among the first to respond and we have asked them to submit a proposal. Once the proposal is accepted, we will make funds available,” Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, told reporters on Thursday, while announcing an exhibition of disabled-assistive devices and equipment to be held in Tiruchi in January next year.

The national-level exhibition, Samarthya, is being organised by the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, run by the Ministry at Muttukadu near Chennai.

“We propose to provide ramps, disabled-friendly toilets and access for the disabled to classrooms and libraries. Once the Ministry’s nod comes through, we will start implementing it,” Vice-Chancellor S. Ramachandran, told The Hindu.

The Ministry had also written to all State Transport Corporations in Tamil Nadu to provide more facilities to the disabled in their vehicles. “Though we had also asked all government buildings in the country, especially the District Collectorates and the Government Hospitals, to have ramps for the disabled, their implementation is still a long way off,” Ms. Jagadeesan said.

The Ministry had also requested the Planning Commission to make an allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for the welfare of the disabled in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. The National Sample Survey Organisation will soon commence the country’s first comprehensive survey of the disabled which will be the baseline survey for follow-ups in the future,

Also, Chennai will become the second city after New Delhi to have an exclusive helpline for the disabled with a user-friendly four-digit number.

The Tamil software for use in the helpline is being developed by the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped in Mumbai. The helpline would become operational in the next few months.

Exhibition

The exhibition, featuring assistive devices, teaching kits, learning materials and other barrier-free features for the disabled, will be held from January 4 to 7 at St.Joseph’s College Higher Secondary School Grounds, Tiruchi. Disability certificates and appliances for the handicapped will be distributed during the exhibition, Neeradha Chandramohan, Director, NIEPMD, said.

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