Source: Hueiyen News Service / Sobhapati Samom
Imphal, December 17 2008:
STATE CHIEF Minister O Ibobi had once promised to review the rules of the Manipur Public Service Commission examination rules in order to accommodate persons with disabilities in the said examination.
Chief Functionary of the Spastic Society of Manipur (SSM) said this in an interaction session with the media persons along with a Senior Consultant on Disabilities at the Manipur Press Club here today.
"He (CM) promised it when L Ibomcha was MLA of Keishamthong AC" Secretary General Laishram Tokendra Ricky informed and added that the Disability Law Unit of the society would take up further course of action by filing necessary cases in the High Court for immediate reviewal of MPSC examination rules so that disabled persons could be accommodated in future.
This issue resurfaced here after one visually impaired Sapam Jasobanta,a resident of Tera Sapam Leirak in Manipur's Imphal west district raised an issue in this regard during the National and State Human Rights Commission sponsored two day workshop on disability for north eastern region which concluded on Tuesday.
Jasobanta's application for Manipur Public Services Commission (MPSC) examination was reportedly rejected recently.
For this visually impaired man had been fighting it in High Courts,now it had even reached Supreme Court though there's no ruling as of now.
Prasanna Kumar Pinchy, Senior consultant on disability who was here to attend the workshop acknowledging the plea of Jasobanta said "we've been showing solidarity to the cause".
In an interaction with media told the media persons prior to his return trip to the National capital on Wednesday morning,the Senior Consultant who himself is a visually impaired person and had been in Assam for a long time, said all policy and programmes of the government must include rooms for disabled persons.
The fate of the disabled persons in India's north eastern states are in a pathetic scene as the authorities here are "practically doing nothing".
"It's absolutely dismal, casual and cosmetic manner will not solve the issue of disability, it needs determination and sincerity" Prasanna Kumar added.
Commenting on the scenario of disabled persons in NE, he said "It's very disappointing".
Lamenting the attitude of state officials in connection with the issue of disability,the visiting consultant who earlier looks after Action-Aid programs in NE region expressed his desire to have a full time commissioner with independent charge for smooth implementation of the Persons with Disability Act 1995 .
Article 41 of the constitution directs the state to make effective provision for securing right to work,to education,to public assistance in cases of disablement.
Besides there are four legislations towards the protection,welfare,rehabilitation and development of people with disabilities.
He also requested the media fraternity to give more coverage on issue based matters in disability rather than event based news.