8th Fortnight Barrier Free campaign launched
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 17 2015 :
The 8th Fortnight Barrier Free Campaign 2015 was launched today at the Manipur Press Club by the Handicapped Development (HD) Foundation, Manipur in association with the Office of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of Manipur.
The HD Foundation has been organizing "Fortnight Barrier Free Campaign" every year since 2008 with the main objective of creating an environment which is accessible and useable by everyone in the society, including people with disabilities.
The foundation gives main focus on the barriers faced by the persons with disability in the society, community and State.
A barrier free environment is allowing people to move around freely and safely, independently and without any restriction.
The environment includes public or private buildings, roads, transportation, public places, educational institutions etc.
As part of the fortnight State wide campaign, various activities are set to take up in various places.
From October 18 to 30, 5000 posters will be pasted in public and private places to create awareness to the masses.
5000 more leaflets will also be distributed in public and private areas to spread the message of the Fortnight Barrier Free Campaign.
Awareness programmes at club and school levels will be organised where all stakeholders of the locality including Counsellor, pradhan, members of Gram Panchayat, Meira Paibi, village chiefs etc will be included.
Besides such programmes, the first State level open Slogan Competition with the theme 'Break Barriers, Minimized Disabilities' to draw attention and involvement of public will be held.
Further a workshop programme to promote barrier free environment will be conducted at the closing ceremony of the 15-day long campaign.
Speaking at the inaugural function of the campaign, Director of the State Commission for the Persons with Disabilities, Government of Manipur L Nabakishwar said that to make a barrier free society, more of such campaigns are needed.
He further said that under the PWD Act of 1995 (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, disabled persons are entitled to various benefits from various sectors of the public like adaptations of universal design in transport systems like bus, railways and aircraft.
Further, ramps in public buildings including hospitals, banks, schools, institutions, market sheds etc should be made easily accessible for wheel chair users.
He urged all concerned to break the barriers.
Secretary General of HD Foundation, Dr Sapam Jasowanta requested the people to spread the message that handicapped people should be brought up by the changing outlook towards the disabled persons.
He added that people need to reset their mindset to help the disabled persons come on par with the normal people and break the barrier.
As part of the opening ceremony of the 8th Fortnight Barrier Free Campaign, poster and leaflets of the campaign were released by the dignitaries present at the function.