The Hindu : Karnataka News : Instil confidence in children with disabilities, says Bopaiah

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Instil confidence in children with disabilities, says Bopaiah

Staff Correspondent

SWASTHA's efforts for welfare of such children lauded

Making a point:Speaker of the Legislative Assembly K.G. Bopaiah speaking at the annual day celebrations of SWASTHA at Suntikoppa in Kodagu on Saturday.

SUNTICOPPA (KODAGU): Speaker of the Legislative Assembly K.G. Bopaiah on Saturday urged non-governmental organisations and volunteers to work for the cause of children with disabilities. They should instil confidence in such children, he said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the seventh Annual Day celebrations of SWASTHA, a centre promoted by Coorg Foundation for the welfare and rehabilitation of children with disabilities. Coorg Foundation is a subsidiary of Tata Coffee Limited.

Stating that identifying and rehabilitating such children was a tough task, Mr. Bopaiah lauded SWASTHA for its efforts for the welfare of children with disabilities. People should shun superstition associated with disability, he said.

The State Government was committed to the welfare of the disabled people. It had reserved three per cent of jobs for them, Mr. Bopaiah said. He appreciated the statement by Managing Director of Tata Coffee Limited Hameed Huq that there was a move to cover nearly 5,000 children with disabilities in the district in the coming years.

Mr. Huq said that Tata Coffee always wanted to give back something to society and SWASTHA was one such project in Kodagu. About 5,000 children with disabilities had been identified in Kodagu and welfare measures would gradually cover all of them in five years. To start with, 336 such children had been identified in Somwarpet taluk of the district, he added.

Children with disabilities presented a dance and a skit with the message on the need to preserve environment.

Chairman of Coorg Foundation Arun Monnappa, who presided over the function, said that not only the Government but also voluntary organisations and associations should work for the cause of children with disabilities.

Director of Coorg Foundation K.N. Changappa welcomed the gathering. Ganga Changappa, Project Head of SWASTHA, read out the annual report. Vice-president of Tata Coffee Limited A.S. Muthanna, former vice-chairman of Coffee Board N. Bose Mandanna, former president of the Karnataka Planters' Association K.M. Nanaiah, and senior managers of Tata Coffee Limited and their family members were present.

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