What visually impaired persons say about their issues
Nandini Voice for The Deprived (www.nandinivoice.com), a non governmental organization based at Chennai, organized an interactive discussions for the visually impaired persons to discuss their vision, problems and expectations on 18th November,2018 at Chennai.
Objective of the programme is to provide an opportunity to the visually impaired persons to express their thoughts freely on various issues faced by them and to promote better understanding and awareness amongst the public about the expectation and needs of visually impaired persons.
32 visually impaired persons, both men and women in the age group of 20to70, participated in the discussions.
Participants included college students, graduates and post graduate with M Phil qualification who sell assorted items on platform and in train to make their living, unemployed and self employed persons , those employed in the government departments and house wives .
All visually impaired persons who participated in the interactive discussions were honoured with cash award.
Highlights of the interactive discussions are provided below.
Treat us on par:
Greater efforts should be put forth to build awareness in the society that the visually impaired persons , though they are without eye sight, have all the other faculties in order as normal persons and some of them certainly have exceptional other faculties of high order.
However, many people seem to think that the visually impaired men and women are “out of ordinary” persons. This view is baseless. People generally look at visually impaired persons either with sympathy or with cynicism but rarely as equal.
In several meetings attended by visually impaired persons, the so called celebrities, politicians and ministers and senior officials participate and lecture the visually impaired persons on how to conduct themselves and shape their life with courage and confidence. However, most of the visually impaired persons think that they are adequately intelligent to know such things and perhaps, the free extension of such advice may indicate superiority complex of so called celebrities and other lecturing persons.
The perspectives about the visually impaired persons among people have to undergo change for the better.
Marketing outlet
While there are reported to be around 10 lakh visually impaired persons in Tamil Nadu alone, more than 95% of them do not have regular jobs. While some of them have qualified themselves, not all the qualified persons are able to land on jobs. With private sector mostly reluctant to employ them, largely they find jobs only in government departments
Such persons who get jobs lead reasonably comfortable life and their number is miniscule Others have to somehow fend for themselves.
Most of them procure products from the market in bulk and sell them with marginal profit on platform, running trains and lead hand to mouth existence. While many of them get government pension which is not sufficient even for bare living, there is no way for them other than selling such products on platform and trains to get some income for living.
The problem for the visually impaired persons is that they are often mercilessly driven away by policemen and railway officials and they live in great fear, particularly the women.
Why not permit visually impaired persons to sell such products on platform and trains and provide them identity card with some regulations ?
Further, government should consider opening some sale outlets in different locations exclusively for selling the products marketed by visually impaired persons. This can be done in the same pattern and style for selling khadi products in Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan.
Need to sensitize private sector management
Visually impaired persons rarely get jobs in private sector organizations though there are a few exceptions.
Most private companies simply assume that the visually impaired persons can not do any productive job, though the fact is otherwise.
Instead of examining the capability of visually impaired persons with open mind and in objective manner and positively viewing the employment possibilities, private companies seem to have a closed mind set.
Obviously, there is need to sensitize the private sector managements on this issue, that can be carried out by the NGOs and government departments.
Bank staff too need to be sensitized
There is considerable unhappiness amongst the visually impaired persons about the treatment that they receive from the bank staff whenever they approach banks.
Several visually impaired persons have been denied ATM card though the bank rules clearly state that they need to be given .Flimsy excuses are often provided for denying the ATM card. Sometimes even opening of Savings account has become difficult.
When the government deposits welfare fund in the bank for the benefit of the visually impaired persons, if they can not withdraw the money comfortably, what benefit they would get ?
It is said that visually impaired persons can approach higher officials in the bank to redress their grievances, but they rarely get appointment to meet the higher officials .
Public sector bank managements should solve this irksome issue as early as possible.
Sensitisation of police force and government staff also needed
When visually impaired persons approach government departments or police stations for any details or to redress their grievance, they are seldom treated with the respect that they deserve.. Apart from sensitizing the government staff and police force, a complaint cell may be created to enable the visually impaired persons to air their grievances for quick redressal.
Similarly, the transport bus crew also need sensitization in dealing with the visually impaired persons with understanding.
Identify appropriate skill
While it is said that the visually impaired persons should self employ themselves, skill with adequate employment and business potentials suitable for visually impaired persons have not been adequately and carefully identified to enable them to self employ themselves.
Skill acquisition in appropriate skill areas by visually impaired persons has not been possible in most cases due to lack of facilities for imparting training . Helpless visually impaired persons demand “ Tell us what we can do, how we can do, instead of lecturing in vacuum”.
Job opportunities as interpreters
In recent time, number of job opportunities have opened for interpreters particularly in various foreign languages such as Chinese, Korean, French, Japanese .Russian and others, in view of the steadily increasing business and industrial cooperation between India and other countries
Why not conduct special training programme in spoken foreign languages and communication skill for the visually impaired persons, to enable them to take jobs as interpreters. In this way, there could also be impressive overseas job opportunities.
Extend time for writing exams
Visually impaired persons writing various examination should be given one hour more time compared to normal persons, since the visually impaired persons have to use services of the scribes.
Fill up reserved jobs
While the government has reservation policy for providing jobs for visually impaired persons in the government departments rarely such vacancies filled are in full measure. Many times, the visually impaired persons are not provided such jobs, under the pretext that suitable persons are not available and then such jobs are given to the normal persons.
Further, in recruitment distinction is made between the partially visually impaired and fully visually impaired persons. This is violation of the government directive.
Need to familiarize the government regulations
Government regulations relating to welfare support for visually impaired persons are often revised and modified and most visually impaired persons are not aware of the changes.
It is necessary that the concerned government department should organize meetings for visually impaired persons at periodical interval to brief them about such regulations and their status,
Provide smart phone
Most of the visually impaired persons live below poverty line. Smart phone can help them in a big way in communications and keeping themselves updated and informed about the latest developments and also upgrading their skills.
Government is giving lakhs of free cycles and laptops to the students year after year. It is necessary that in similar way, smart phone with upgraded facility should be given to visually impaired persons free of cost.
Poor implementation of law
There are plethora of laws and regulations to support visually impaired persons. However, the problem is in the implementation of such law in letter and spirit.
The government has to examine how to solve this lacunae, which is now reaching serious proportion.
N.S.Venkataraman
Nandini Voice For The Deprived
nandinivoice.com more
Objective of the programme is to provide an opportunity to the visually impaired persons to express their thoughts freely on various issues faced by them and to promote better understanding and awareness amongst the public about the expectation and needs of visually impaired persons.
32 visually impaired persons, both men and women in the age group of 20to70, participated in the discussions.
Participants included college students, graduates and post graduate with M Phil qualification who sell assorted items on platform and in train to make their living, unemployed and self employed persons , those employed in the government departments and house wives .
All visually impaired persons who participated in the interactive discussions were honoured with cash award.
Highlights of the interactive discussions are provided below.
Treat us on par:
Greater efforts should be put forth to build awareness in the society that the visually impaired persons , though they are without eye sight, have all the other faculties in order as normal persons and some of them certainly have exceptional other faculties of high order.
However, many people seem to think that the visually impaired men and women are “out of ordinary” persons. This view is baseless. People generally look at visually impaired persons either with sympathy or with cynicism but rarely as equal.
In several meetings attended by visually impaired persons, the so called celebrities, politicians and ministers and senior officials participate and lecture the visually impaired persons on how to conduct themselves and shape their life with courage and confidence. However, most of the visually impaired persons think that they are adequately intelligent to know such things and perhaps, the free extension of such advice may indicate superiority complex of so called celebrities and other lecturing persons.
The perspectives about the visually impaired persons among people have to undergo change for the better.
Marketing outlet
While there are reported to be around 10 lakh visually impaired persons in Tamil Nadu alone, more than 95% of them do not have regular jobs. While some of them have qualified themselves, not all the qualified persons are able to land on jobs. With private sector mostly reluctant to employ them, largely they find jobs only in government departments
Such persons who get jobs lead reasonably comfortable life and their number is miniscule Others have to somehow fend for themselves.
Most of them procure products from the market in bulk and sell them with marginal profit on platform, running trains and lead hand to mouth existence. While many of them get government pension which is not sufficient even for bare living, there is no way for them other than selling such products on platform and trains to get some income for living.
The problem for the visually impaired persons is that they are often mercilessly driven away by policemen and railway officials and they live in great fear, particularly the women.
Why not permit visually impaired persons to sell such products on platform and trains and provide them identity card with some regulations ?
Further, government should consider opening some sale outlets in different locations exclusively for selling the products marketed by visually impaired persons. This can be done in the same pattern and style for selling khadi products in Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan.
Need to sensitize private sector management
Visually impaired persons rarely get jobs in private sector organizations though there are a few exceptions.
Most private companies simply assume that the visually impaired persons can not do any productive job, though the fact is otherwise.
Instead of examining the capability of visually impaired persons with open mind and in objective manner and positively viewing the employment possibilities, private companies seem to have a closed mind set.
Obviously, there is need to sensitize the private sector managements on this issue, that can be carried out by the NGOs and government departments.
Bank staff too need to be sensitized
There is considerable unhappiness amongst the visually impaired persons about the treatment that they receive from the bank staff whenever they approach banks.
Several visually impaired persons have been denied ATM card though the bank rules clearly state that they need to be given .Flimsy excuses are often provided for denying the ATM card. Sometimes even opening of Savings account has become difficult.
When the government deposits welfare fund in the bank for the benefit of the visually impaired persons, if they can not withdraw the money comfortably, what benefit they would get ?
It is said that visually impaired persons can approach higher officials in the bank to redress their grievances, but they rarely get appointment to meet the higher officials .
Public sector bank managements should solve this irksome issue as early as possible.
Sensitisation of police force and government staff also needed
When visually impaired persons approach government departments or police stations for any details or to redress their grievance, they are seldom treated with the respect that they deserve.. Apart from sensitizing the government staff and police force, a complaint cell may be created to enable the visually impaired persons to air their grievances for quick redressal.
Similarly, the transport bus crew also need sensitization in dealing with the visually impaired persons with understanding.
Identify appropriate skill
While it is said that the visually impaired persons should self employ themselves, skill with adequate employment and business potentials suitable for visually impaired persons have not been adequately and carefully identified to enable them to self employ themselves.
Skill acquisition in appropriate skill areas by visually impaired persons has not been possible in most cases due to lack of facilities for imparting training . Helpless visually impaired persons demand “ Tell us what we can do, how we can do, instead of lecturing in vacuum”.
Job opportunities as interpreters
In recent time, number of job opportunities have opened for interpreters particularly in various foreign languages such as Chinese, Korean, French, Japanese .Russian and others, in view of the steadily increasing business and industrial cooperation between India and other countries
Why not conduct special training programme in spoken foreign languages and communication skill for the visually impaired persons, to enable them to take jobs as interpreters. In this way, there could also be impressive overseas job opportunities.
Extend time for writing exams
Visually impaired persons writing various examination should be given one hour more time compared to normal persons, since the visually impaired persons have to use services of the scribes.
Fill up reserved jobs
While the government has reservation policy for providing jobs for visually impaired persons in the government departments rarely such vacancies filled are in full measure. Many times, the visually impaired persons are not provided such jobs, under the pretext that suitable persons are not available and then such jobs are given to the normal persons.
Further, in recruitment distinction is made between the partially visually impaired and fully visually impaired persons. This is violation of the government directive.
Need to familiarize the government regulations
Government regulations relating to welfare support for visually impaired persons are often revised and modified and most visually impaired persons are not aware of the changes.
It is necessary that the concerned government department should organize meetings for visually impaired persons at periodical interval to brief them about such regulations and their status,
Provide smart phone
Most of the visually impaired persons live below poverty line. Smart phone can help them in a big way in communications and keeping themselves updated and informed about the latest developments and also upgrading their skills.
Government is giving lakhs of free cycles and laptops to the students year after year. It is necessary that in similar way, smart phone with upgraded facility should be given to visually impaired persons free of cost.
Poor implementation of law
There are plethora of laws and regulations to support visually impaired persons. However, the problem is in the implementation of such law in letter and spirit.
The government has to examine how to solve this lacunae, which is now reaching serious proportion.
N.S.Venkataraman
Nandini Voice For The Deprived
nandinivoice.com more
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