PWD lodges complaint with State Disability Commissioner about inaccessible Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukhrjee Stadium near Panaji

Prakash Kamat

Panaji,March 26- A complaint has been lodged by a person with disabilities(PwD) with Goa State Disability Commissioner against Director,Sports Aurhority Goa(SAG) under Sections 3, 30, 92, of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016 for lack accessibility of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao, Tiswadi Goa, causing discrimination to the Persons with Disabilities.

The applicant Mr. Vishant S. Nagvekar(50),a person with 89% disability, has submitted that the state-of-the-art structure of the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, situated at Taleigao Tiswadi Goa, hosts several sporting events, celebration, exhibitions, events of national and international fame and importance, seminars, inaugural ceremonies, inaugural ceremonies, including swearing ceremony of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa and election related events, etc.

While the ramps are installed at this government premises, however, the same are defective and the required gradient, are handrails or grab bars are missing or not provisioned thereby causing harassment and discrimination and as such it violates the section 3 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  Hence the Persons with Disabilities are denied access to the aforesaid stadium and, therefore, unable to attend any event, celebration, etc., organised at this prestigious premises owned and controlled by the SAG. 

He has complained that the Persons with disabilities often face societal barriers and evoke negative perceptions and discrimination in the society.  As a result of the stigma associated with disability, persons with disabilities are generally excluded from education, employment and community life,which deprives them of opportunities essential to their social development, health and well-being. Sport and inclusion in all the activities can help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with disability which can also resort to transform community attitudes about persons with disabilities by highlighting their skills and reducing the tendency to see the disability instead of the person.  Through inclusion the persons without disabilities interact with persons with disabilities in a positive context forcing them to reshape assumptions about what persons with disabilities can and cannot do.

He has noted that the inclusion can change the person with disability in an equally profound way by empowering persons with disabilities to realize their full potential and advocate for changes in society.  Through inclusion and full participation, persons with disabilities acquire vital social skills, develop independence, and become empowered to act as agents of change.  Inclusion and active participation is also well-suited to reducing dependence and developing greater independence by helping persons with disabilities to become physically and mentally stronger.

He said that due to inaccessibility of the Stadium the Persons with Disabilities are deprived from full and active participation in any events organized including sports events and practice at this venue.

He has further brought to the notice of the State Disability Commissioner that the lift has been installed at this premises.However, the same have been left un-operational and therefore the access of the Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizen have been excluded, debarred and deprived.  Further, due to non functioning of the lift / elevator the staff / employees of SAG, and visitors with disabilities, para players, etc., are not able to access upper floor of the Stadium and the office of the State government-owned SAG.

The relevant extract of the said above section is reproduced here under for ready reference:

3. Equality and non-discrimination..

(1)  The appropriate Government shall ensure that the persons with disabilities enjoy the right to equality, life with dignity and respect for his or her integrity equally with others.

(2)  The appropriate Government shall take steps to utilise the capacity of persons with disabilities by providing appropriate environment.

(3)  No person with disability shall be discriminated on the ground of disability, unless it is shown that the impugned act or omission is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

(4)  No person shall be deprived of his or her personal liberty only on the ground of disability.

(5)  The appropriate Government shall take necessary steps to ensure reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.

The complainant points out that the section 30 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides for sporting activities especially to the Persons with Disabilities, which the SAG and Goa government and failed to adhere and provide basic facilities to the Persons with Disabilities not only at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, but also at all the other Indoor Stadium at various places in the State.

The extract of the provisions referred hereinabove is reproduced below for ready reference:

30. Sporting activities.. (1) The appropriate Government shall take measures to ensure effective participation in sporting activities of the persons with disabilities.

(2)  The sports authorities shall accord due recognition to the right of persons with disabilities to participate in sports and shall make due provisions for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their schemes and programmes for the promotion and development of sporting talents.

(3)  Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), The appropriate Government and the sports authorities shall take measures to,

(a)  Restructure courses and programmes to  ensure  access, inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in all sporting activities;

(b) Redesign and support infrastructure facilities of all sporting activities for persons with disabilities;

(c)  Develop technology to enhance potential, talent, capacity and ability in sporting  activities  of all the persons with disabilities;

(d)  Provide multi-sensory essentials and features  in all sporting activities to ensure effective participation  of  all persons with disabilities;

(e)  Allocate funds for development of state of art sport facilities for training of persons with disabilities;

(f) Promote and organise disability specific sporting  events for persons with disabilities and also facilitate awards to the winners and other participants of  such sporting events.

 Whereas the provision of accessibility at public places / premises has been mandated under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.  The 05 years time period have been granted under the Act, 2016 for providing accessibility to the old building.  However, the authorities have failed to adhere to the appropriate sections of the Act, 2016 and rectify the faulty gradient of the ramps till date,stated the complaint. 

In view of the above, the applicant has demanded that 

(a)The faulty gradient of the ramps at the Stadium may be rectified in accordance with the law in force at the earliest.

(b) The handrails / grab bars and tactile guides for visual impaired may be installed wherever required at the Stadium.

(c) The toilet / washrooms may be fitted with wider door for wheelchair accessibility and anti skid flooring, grab bars in accordance with the law in force.

(d) That all the Stadiums under the control of the Respondents may be made accessibility to the Persons with Disabilities.(eom)

Goa Govt Advisory on heatwave

Prakash Kamat

Panaji,March 25- Goa Government's Revenue Department has said that as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast on the seasonal outlook for the warmer temperature from March – May, 2022, the State of Goa will be facing an extreme hot weather conditions and rise in maximum temperature above of the normal maximum temperature and minimum temperature above of the normal minimum temperature with corresponding Red Colour Code, for safety tips for Heat waves the following mitigation should be taken.

It has advised people to listen to All India Radio, watch TV, read news papers for local weather forecast to know if a heat wave is on the way. Drink sufficient water and as often as possible, even if not thirsty. Wear light weight, light coloured, loose and porous cotton clothes. Use protective goggles, umbrella/hat, shoes or chappals while going out in the sun. Carry water with you while travelling. If you work outside, use a hat or an umbrella and also use a damp cloth on your head, neck, face and limbs. Use ORS, coconut water, homemade drinks like lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, buttermilk, etc. which helps to re-hydrate the body. Open doors and windows to ventilate the cooking area adequately. Visit a doctor immediately, if you feel faint or ill. Keep animals in shade and give them plenty of water to drink. Keep some drinking water for birds in small pots on the roof/balcony. Keep your home cool, use curtains, shutters or sunshade and open windows at night. Use fans, damp clothing and take bath in cold water frequently. Provide cool drinking water near the workplace. Caution workers to avoid direct sunlight. Schedule strenuous jobs at cooler times of the day. Increase the frequency and length of rest breaks for outdoor activities. Give additional attention to the pregnant women and others with a medical condition.

The don’ts - do not leave children or pets in parked vehicles. Avoid going out in the sun, especially between 12.00 noon and 3.00 pm. Avoid wearing dark, heavy or tight clothing. Avoid strenuous activities when the outside temperature is high. Avoid cooking during peak hours. Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and carbonated soft drinks, which dehydrates the body. Avoid high-protein food.(eom)

Act against Govt College for using debarred&offensive languge for Persons with Disability in admission form, UGC urged

                             Vishant Nagvenkar

Prakash Kamat

Panaji, March 20,2022- In a complaint addressed to the Vice Chancellor of Goa University with copies to Goa State Disability Commissioner, University Grants Commission and other government authorities, Mr. Vishant Nagvenkar, a post graduate student and an officer of Goa government has demanded that strict action be taken against college authorities for using debarred and offensive expressions about persons with disability(PswD) in its admission form.

The Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Sanquelim Goa, have failed to adhere to the Circulars issued by the Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Goa, Panaji Goa and also by the Government of India and, therefore, have violated the provisions of the aforesaid Act in letter and spirit and have used the abbreviation “PH” on its admission form which denotes / elaborates as “Physically Handicapped”. Perhaps such barred / banned expression are used in all the Admission Form of the Government as well as Private Institutions which needs to be curtailed and restricted.

"The Institutions which should have been imparting wisdom, ideas and correct knowledge to the generations to come, however, the past generation have already learned the wrong expression and the same have been using openly thereby violating the provisions of the afore referred Acts and also the Constitution of India," lamented the complainant.

The act of using banned and barred expression appears to be purposeful and intentional to lower the dignity, degrade, disgrace, stigmatize, stagnate, condemn the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities  in order to detriment, demoralize, defame, dishonour and humiliate to "prove that they are useless, burden, ineffective, inefficient and worthless to the society," said the complainant and asserted that the ignorance of the Law cannot be an excuse to commit offense. 

The Institutions have been imparting wrong and faulty knowledge or expression to the young students and if the same is not rectified immediately the same shall continue for next generations because these faulty expression and vocabulary addressing the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities which have been used by the learned employees of the Goa University and their subordinates Institutions for past several years after enactment of the Persons with Disability Act in the year 1995. 

The Goa University should have taken the cognisance of the aforesaid Circular which was issued in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to which the India is party and signatory.

Considering the aforesaid facts, the Vice Chancellor may kindly request all the authorities above and institutions, especially the Law Colleges using a wrong, banned, barred, offensive expression which is against the Constitution of India to rectify all the forms, documents, signage and all such documents, correspondence teaching material, Power Point Presentation, etc., immediately where such barred / offensive expressions or abbreviations are used.  And to begin with I  kindly request you to change or rectify the Admission Forms used for the PGDAS course for which the applicant is enrolled.

I may further also request you to initiate a disciplinary action against the erroring officer / official who is instrumental in using a offensive of barred expression / abbreviation addressing the Persons with Disabilities so that such act of offending Persons with Benchmark Disabilities is not repeated in future.  This will pass a strong message amongst the masses to restrict any offensive act against the Persons with Disabilities.

It is further humbly suggested to cancel the doctorate, PhD, degree MPhil of those who have submission there research / papers / documentation on the Persons with Disabilities using a barred expression “Handicapped” or “Handicap” and also in future bar the use of banned expression in any reports / submission / research and ensure using of expression “Persons with Disabilities” or “Persons with Benchmark Disabilities” or any other expression permitted as per Law, demands the complainant.(eom).