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India, which is way behind the West when it comes to making public spaces accessible to people with disabilities, is trying to make a big push to make public spaces friendlier to them.
The country is going to get tough on ill treatment of people with disabilities. As it expands the scope of the definition to include intellectually challenged and the victims of acid attacks, the Centre will be finalising the rules under the recently enacted law to enhance the quality of life of people with various disabilities. “There will be stringent punishment and fines for violating the provisions,” Navreet Kang, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, said.
As many as 1,770 buildings will be equipped with facilities to make them friendlier for the disabled. The Centre has asked States to get at least 25-40 buildings tweaked in at least 50 cities. It would cost about ₹20-25 lakh to make the relevant changes.
After the Act was passed in April, it is expected that the rules would be ready by October this year. There would be stringent punishments for causing violence on the people with disabilities. “There will be fines. Compliance to the rules on access to public buildings (which includes places like cinema theatres) would be made mandatory. But it is the local bodies that must take the initiative to implement these rules,” he felt.
Navreet Kang said there were about 2.66 crore people who fall in the disabled category. He, however, said that the number could be more. “The WHO estimates that there would be 10-15 per cent people with various disabilities in the world,” he said. With a view to expanding the scope, he said people with learning and intellectual challenges would also be included to the list. “Also, victims of acid attacks too would be added. The government had constituted eight sub-groups to recommend modalities to identify and measure disabilities in the new categories. They have submitted their recommendations. The final committee, headed by the Director-General of Health Services, would check these recommendations and take a call,” he said.
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